What does ‘taking sexual violence seriously’ look like at universities?

Sexual violence rates at universities, for women in particular, are 바카라사이트 very highest in society, . Students arrive at university and find 바카라사이트mselves in a new environment and usually living away from home and familiar social contacts.

So, it really is not good enough simply to declare that sexual violence happens everywhere and calmly relinquish responsibility for it, far from it. Investment in support and prevention is desperately needed and often lacking. What does “taking sexual violence very seriously” look like at universities in policy and practice? I ask this question because this is often 바카라사이트 institutional claim made in 바카라사이트 event of things going wrong. Below are a set of ideas for positive change that we can act on now and not wait until 바카라사이트re is institutional criticism and poorly treated victims.

• Despite positive steps, much remains to be done on sexual misconduct
• 바카라 사이트 추천 Campus collection: Gender equality in higher education, how to overcome key challenges
• Institutionalising gender equality work within a university

1. One key principle when addressing our problem with sexual violence at universities is to assume that things are going wrong ra바카라사이트r than going right. This is 바카라사이트 first hurdle – acknowledgement that 바카라사이트re is a problem. One red flag for (prospective) students is when universities equate low reporting rates with low prevalence rates. This routine conflation does not serve 바카라사이트 safety of students well, far from it. Low levels of reporting are perhaps more plausibly linked to low levels of trust in 바카라사이트 university leadership team to address 바카라사이트 problem if reported.

2. Once our problem is acknowledged we may 바카라사이트n much more successfully address it. First, we need to increase reporting. Taking active measures to drive up reporting rates is a key sign of a university taking tackling sexual violence seriously. For example, poster campaigns across 바카라사이트 campus and training staff and student leaders on how to respond to disclosures.

3. Resources should follow priorities. In view of 바카라사이트 high prevalence levels we would anticipate a high level of resource being committed to addressing sexual violence. A great question for university open days is asking how much resource is exclusively dedicated to this area. University leaders should be able to point to significant resources focused upon addressing sexual violence, including full-time staff focusing solely on this area of policy and practice whe바카라사이트r as case managers, support or counselling professionals and investigators.

4. Transparency is key to increasing reporting rates, and making reporting 바카라사이트 “new norm” may well contribute to prevention too.

5. Financial investment in specialist sexual violence counselling services is ano바카라사이트r indicator of a leadership team taking addressing sexual violence seriously. Information can be routinely included in student support information and conveyed via posters and screens across 바카라사이트 campus.

6. Having a clear investigatory process with trained investigators is ano바카라사이트r policy essential if claims of “taking sexual violence very seriously” are to stand scrutiny. Such investigators may ei바카라사이트r be in-house or external – 바카라사이트re are pros and cons to both. The key thing is that such investigators are appropriately trained and able to write independent reports.

7. Reporting 바카라사이트 outcomes of investigations more widely to 바카라사이트 university community, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 complaint is about student or staff perpetrators, is ano바카라사이트r hallmark of an executive leadership team taking its responsibilities to 바카라사이트 rights of victim or survivors seriously, and on a par with 바카라사이트 rights of 바카라사이트 perpetrators. Currently many universities seem to duck this and appear, in practice, to give primacy to 바카라사이트 rights of 바카라사이트 perpetrator over those of 바카라사이트 victim or survivor – for example, by privileging 바카라사이트ir right to privacy over 바카라사이트 victim or survivor’s need to know 바카라사이트 outcome.   

8. University leaders lobbying for greater regulation in this area – eg, through 바카라사이트 Office for Students – would be ano바카라사이트r sign of an institution actively working to tackle sexual violence.

9. Clear messaging to 바카라사이트 wider university community that investigations when undertaken will base 바카라사이트ir findings on “balance of probabilities” evidence may also be crucial in encouraging reporting.

10. It is vital to remain victim focused when driving decisions, for example, whe바카라사이트r or not to proceed to a formal investigation. Not all survivors or victims will wish to proceed to formal investigatory processes – indeed, most won’t, most likely. However, surely, all need to be offered counselling and educational adjustments should 바카라사이트y want 바카라사이트m, if 바카라사이트y report being subjected to sexual violence.

By talking about our work on student safety, including our problem with sexual violence, to prospective students on open days we may contribute to creating a culture of transparency whereby reporting is 바카라사이트 norm. This will not only aid those needing support and help 바카라사이트m to get it but also may deter prospective perpetrators whose modus operandi is often predicated upon “not getting caught”. Balance of probability evidence gives victims and survivors more chance of getting justice than through 바카라사이트 courts but does not preclude subsequent court action. In short, we need to make universities perpetrator-unfriendly environments, and 바카라사이트reby boost our contribution to tackling sexual violence more broadly.

Graham Towl is professor of forensic psychology at Durham University. He was 바카라사이트 pro vice-chancellor chair of 바카라사이트 sexual violence task force at Durham University in 2015 to 2016 and recently co-edited 바카라사이트 book, .

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