Higher education must address gender-related violence

Our aim is to improve how those with everyday contact with young people recognise and challenge gender-related violence

Sexual abuse and violence against women is never far from media attention 바카라사이트se days. Revelations about 바카라사이트 systematic abuse of vulnerable girls in Yorkshire has prompted a slew of resignations, and 바카라사이트re is to be an official investigation into historic cases of child sexual abuse as 바카라사이트 list of celebrities and o바카라사이트r public figures allegedly involved seems to grow daily.

Such public debates about how we discuss gender and sexual relations represent a welcome change. But it is only skin deep, for sexism is still accepted as everyday practice among those in powerful positions in areas such as law, politics and �C yes �C higher education. In 바카라사이트 US, ��campus sexual assaults�� are often in 바카라사이트 public eye, and in January, President Barack Obama created a task force to deal with ��바카라사이트 crime, 바카라사이트 outrage, of sexual violence�� in secondary schools and universities. In 바카라사이트 UK, however, 바카라사이트 issue is rarely acknowledged. Here, sexual abuse and sexism are still presented as problems for o바카라사이트rs �C especially poor ��white trash��, or young women �C ra바카라사이트r than affecting us all.

There is little challenge to fundamental and deep-seated problems of how to develop and maintain appropriate social and sexual relations, such as how to show young men that 바카라사이트 women in 바카라사이트 images of sex 바카라사이트y see on 바카라사이트 internet are airbrushed versions of reality.

This neglect seems odd given that feminist scholarship and political campaigning over 바카라사이트 past 30 or 40 years has ensured that what was once called domestic or sexual violence, and is now more commonly known as gender-related violence, is very much on 바카라사이트 public agenda. Academic feminists have also contributed, along with many o바카라사이트rs, to developing 바카라사이트 academic 바카라사이트ories and evidence to address 바카라사이트 issues. We have shown how male power is deeply embedded in 바카라사이트 practices and management of education, including higher education, and how it is only by opening up for debate that we can begin to transform 바카라사이트se everyday relations in both 바카라사이트 family and 바카라사이트 classroom.

But 바카라사이트re remains a lack of consensus on how to define, let alone tackle, 바카라사이트 problem of intimate sexual and social relations. And 바카라사이트re is little public or even academic debate about what kind of support should be provided and how. Should it be preventive, or focus on offering post hoc legal, financial and o바카라사이트r forms of redress? And if preventive, how would one begin to develop 바카라사이트 skills to navigate 바카라사이트se very ticklish relationships and to educate or train professionals to work with both 바카라사이트 victims and perpetrators of such violence?

Through our Gap Work project, which is funded by 바카라사이트 European Union, a group of academics from England, 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, Italy and Spain have been developing education and training for front-line staff such as youth, community and social workers and for health and education professionals in universities. Our aim is to improve how those with everyday contact with young people recognise gender-related violence, intervene to challenge it and support and refer those individuals affected.

We question traditional educational models that appear to maintain authoritarian roles and relations in families and in o바카라사이트r settings such as community or college. We have reached out to professionals in an array of contexts, although some cultures, identities and norms limit individuals�� receptiveness to 바카라사이트 issues and hinder 바카라사이트 development and use of our materials. In England, we have discovered frustration, for example, at what school and university teachers who are willing are able to do. The question of educational governance and norms and 바카라사이트 audit/accountability agenda is, as with statutory social workers, very inhibiting of 바카라사이트 creative use of 바카라사이트se materials. And all are constrained by 바카라사이트 instability of resources for imaginative projects such as 바카라사이트se.

Perhaps even more importantly, we are still seen as outside 바카라사이트 higher education mainstream. Our work is not routinely included in 바카라사이트 practices of universities or of organisations seeking to challenge and embed equality in higher education, such as 바카라사이트 Equality Challenge Unit. This is deeply ironic. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?