Continuous Sexual Misconduct at UK universities

UK universities have been accused of inadequate response or failing to tackle sexual harassment and gender violence. Senior MPs, student leaders, equality campaigners complain and express anger after a Guardian investigation found inconsistencies in the victims’ support and protection.

Many universities reported that they did not provide specific training on on sexual misconduct, including harassment, assault, rape, stalking, domestic violence and other forms of gender violence.
On Wednesday, UUK published a report saying there had been “significant but variable” progress across the sector in dealing with student-on-student misconduct in the past 18 months, resulting in an increased number of disclosures from those affected.
Though this was considered a mark of success, some universities who took part in the small sample survey expressed concern about their ability to deal with the high volume of disclosures.
Freedom of information (FoI) requests sent to 132 universities found there were at least 1,953 reports of sexual misconduct committed by students and staff at UK universities in the past seven years.
There were another 213 incidents over this period where the alleged perpetrator’s identity was not recorded, which universities noted might include further allegations against students and staff.
Senior MPs, student leaders and equality campaigners complained and express anger for insufficient legal action. The Labour MP Lucy Powell, a member of the Commons education select committee, said findings showed universities’ reporting of sexual misconduct was “woefully inconsistent”.
“It’s very disappointing that very little progress seems to have been made. Clearly the requirements on universities need strengthening. The government does need to provide clear signals on its expectations.”
More sexual misconduct reports have been made in the past nine months at Cambridge University than in the last five years combined. Since May 2017 there have been 173 reports of sexual misconduct from students and staff at the university.
Maria Miller, the Conservative MP who chairs the Commons women and equalities committee, said, “If universities are not effectively tackling the problem of sexual harassment then the government needs to go back and consider how more transparency and better reporting could be enforced.”
>Juthy Saha