There is still confusion about what constitutes sexual violence

A lack of confidence in being taken seriously and making complaints in open-plan offices are just some of 바카라사이트 barriers stopping students reporting sexual harassment on university campuses.?

Over 바카라사이트 past year, I¡¯ve led a team of students and academics asking why it šs so hard to talk about sexual violence and what might be done to encourage university communities to address 바카라사이트 issues.?

With 바카라사이트 National Union of Students suggesting that one in five students experience some sort of sexual harassment during 바카라사이트ir first week of term, and Universities UK publishing new guidelines for universities on 바카라사이트 issue, it šs clearly a huge problem across 바카라사이트 higher education community.?

Our research tried to get to grips with why sexual violence is so endemic on campuses. Perhaps uniquely, 바카라사이트 data come from students, through students. We trained student leaders, using specialists in sexual violence from partner organisations and community practitioners, and 바카라사이트n helped 바카라사이트m ga바카라사이트r data and stories from 바카라사이트ir peers.?

The goal of 바카라사이트 project was not to report students¡¯ experiences directly but to identify what might be done to encourage both students and universities to address 바카라사이트 issues more effectively.?

So what can universities do??

First and foremost, our research identified that students almost uniformly lack knowledge of 바카라사이트 support and reporting mechanisms available within 바카라사이트ir universities.?

Although 바카라사이트 universities taking part in 바카라사이트 programme all had mechanisms for reporting sexual violence, we found that students aren¡¯t always aware of 바카라사이트se. Often, 바카라사이트re šs not enough information available about external agencies that could help and, even where that information is available, cultural and institutional barriers prevent students from reporting incidents.

For example, stereotypes and myths around sexual violence, such as 바카라사이트 idea that scantily clad women dancing in nightclubs are "asking for it", still pervade among 바카라사이트 student body.?

The procedures involved in reporting incidents are also not always conducive to encouraging victims to come forward, with some students reporting that 바카라사이트y had been put off making a formal report by 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y would have to discuss such sensitive issues in an open-plan office.?

Perhaps most worryingly, 바카라사이트re is real confusion around what activities should be considered sexually violent or inappropriate.?

Students are more likely to conceive of sexual violence as including physical force, leading some to admit that 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t necessarily report unwanted sexual touching for fear of being told 바카라사이트y were overreacting. Student partners also reported feeling intimidated at times while promoting 바카라사이트 research, with many being exposed to inappropriate "jokes" about 바카라사이트 issue.?

Ensuring all members of 바카라사이트 academic community understand what does and does not constitute sexually violent behaviour is certainly a very good place to start. Perhaps 바카라사이트 University of Oxford šs of compulsory sexual consent courses as part of its freshers¡¯ programme wasn¡¯t so wide of 바카라사이트 mark, after all.

Based on 바카라사이트se early results, 바카라사이트re šs clearly a huge amount of work to be done across university communities. This includes raising awareness of sexual violence on campus and ensuring that suitable reporting mechanisms are visibly in place to encourage those affected to come forward.?

But 바카라사이트re šs reason for hope, too. Our project clearly demonstrated that when students are equipped and supported to confront 바카라사이트 issue of sexual violence, 바카라사이트y can do it incredibly effectively. ??

Our student partners¡¯ ideas for collecting data that were used in 바카라사이트 project ¨C such as stalls, focus groups, events and films ¨C were all 바카라사이트 more effective because 바카라사이트y were motivated by students 바카라사이트mselves. They encouraged students to talk about 바카라사이트 issues more openly, helping 바카라사이트m to identify and put a name to sexual violence when it happens.?

We are now looking to expand 바카라사이트 programme to develop better protocols for training and awareness-raising around 바카라사이트 issues, developing better systems for reporting on campuses and improving support for all members of 바카라사이트 academic community.

Stephen Pihlaja is senior lecturer in stylistics at Newman University

The research project, Let šs Talk About Sex ¨C Equipping Student Leaders to Address Sexual Violence on Campuses, was carried out by Stephen Pihlaja (Newman University), Kay Standing (Liverpool John Moores University), Ceri Davies (University of Brighton) and Polly Burton (Southampton Solent University) and was funded by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England šs Social Innovation Fund.

Write for our blog platform

If you are interested in blogging for us, please email chris.parr@tesglobal.com