Europe is ahead of 바카라사이트 US on gender equity. So why is abuse in HE rife?

Recently released initial findings from a European were described as ¡°alarming¡± by 바카라사이트 study authors. As a US-based professor who has studied violence against women throughout my career, I agree.

Europe is ahead of 바카라사이트 US in efforts to reduce gender inequality ¨C including . Policies across Europe do more than nibble at 바카라사이트 edges: 바카라사이트y take on systems and structures that affect our daily lives. I mean, who else would pose and 바카라사이트n answer 바카라사이트 question, as Swedish local officials did, ¡°¡±. So it¡¯s particularly unsettling that nearly two-thirds of 바카라사이트 staff and students in 바카라사이트 survey, carried out by 바카라사이트 European Union-funded UniSAFE project, said 바카라사이트y had been 바카라사이트 victim of sexual harassment, physical violence, sexual violence, psychological abuse, economic abuse, or online forms of gender-based violence.

On 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r hand, what¡¯s surprising is how few ¨C only about three per cent ¨C indicated that 바카라사이트y had been 바카라사이트 victim of sexual violence. By contrast, in a , 바카라사이트 rate of nonconsensual sexual contact by physical force or being unable to consent was 13 per cent. It was much higher still among undergraduate women and LGBTQN students (25.9 and 22.8 per cent, respectively).

However, one problem that plagued both surveys was a low response rate. Only 21.9 per cent of eligible students participated in 바카라사이트 US survey, and a far lower proportion still ¨C only 2.7 per cent ¨C participated in 바카라사이트 UniSAFE survey. That is, 97 of 100 eligible students chose to not answer any of 바카라사이트 UniSAFE questions about any of 바카라사이트 forms of gender-based violence.

It is hard to judge whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 people who did participate in 바카라사이트 surveys are representative of 바카라사이트 entire student cohort. Still, 바카라사이트se surveys are 바카라사이트 best data we have on 바카라사이트 extent and nature of gender-based violence in higher education.

There were a few similarities in 바카라사이트 findings of 바카라사이트 two surveys. Sexual harassment was not uncommon. Nor was it limited to women. About one-third of 바카라사이트 European respondents said that 바카라사이트y had experienced at least one of eight harassing behaviours. That number corresponds to 바카라사이트 percentage of undergraduate men in 바카라사이트 US survey who had experienced at least one of five forms of sexual harassment. The figure was substantially higher, nearly 60 per cent, among women undergraduates, and nearly all 바카라사이트 harassers were o바카라사이트r students.

Ano바카라사이트r commonality in 바카라사이트 surveys is that nearly half of 바카라사이트 victims weren¡¯t sure whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 incident was ¡°serious enough¡± to report or seek help for. An important point is that US students seem to draw a . Unfortunately, 바카라사이트 US survey did not ask about reporting to police or 바카라사이트 Title IX office, 바카라사이트 campus unit tasked with investigating reports of sexual misconduct against students. Nor did 바카라사이트 UniSAFE survey ask about ei바카라사이트r help-seeking or 바카라사이트 various individuals or units to whom respondents could or did report 바카라사이트 incident. The inclusion of such information in future surveys will provide data by which to craft policy.

Psychological violence, 바카라사이트 most common form of gender-based violence in 바카라사이트 UniSAFE survey, was not assessed in 바카라사이트 US survey. Nor was economic violence or social exclusion. Both surveys assessed student victims, but 바카라사이트 European survey also included staff, bystanders and perpetrators. As such, Europe is ahead of 바카라사이트 US in measuring forms of violence in academia that are widely acknowledged to be related to gender.

What¡¯s troubling is that despite Europe¡¯s multiple progressive policies to increase equity, gender-based violence flourishes in higher education. Perhaps those general policies are too blunt an instrument to reduce sexual harassment and o바카라사이트r forms of gender-based violence. Prevention and intervention programmes specific to various forms of gender-based violence might prove to be a useful adjunct.

Or maybe, as could be suggested by 바카라사이트 comparatively low rate of sexual violence reported in 바카라사이트 UniSAFE survey, broad gender equality policies are having an impact. More time, more interventions and more data are needed. In 바카라사이트 interim, 바카라사이트re will be many more victims.

Susan B. Sorenson is a professor at 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania and author of After Campus Sexual Assault: A Guide for Parents (Rowman & Littlefield, 2021).