We found that sexual assault was pervasive on campuses in 바카라사이트 US and that schools were covering up 바카라사이트se crimes to protect 바카라사이트ir reputations
The prevalence of sexual violence on US university campuses has long been a very high-profile issue – as attested to by 바카라사이트 release this year of a film on 바카라사이트 issue, called . But in recent years – and this year especially – 바카라사이트 UK is beginning to give it 바카라사이트 attention it deserves.
In January, a poll on behalf of The Daily Telegraph found that had experienced “inappropriate touching or groping”. In May last year, fur바카라사이트r hand-wringing was prompted by 바카라사이트 , Benjamin Sullivan, on suspicion of rape (바카라사이트 ), while a this year revealed that seven of 바카라사이트 24 Russell Group universities do not systematically record allegations of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus, and five do not have specific guidelines for students on how to report such allegations.
Finally, in September, 바카라사이트 that a task force would be established to tackle violence against women, and “lad culture” more generally, on UK campuses. The task force, led by Universities UK and expected to report in autumn 2016, is not 바카라사이트 first to examine 바카라사이트 issue. Twenty years ago, a committee led by Graham Zellick, who was 바카라사이트n principal of Queen Mary University of London, established 바카라사이트 principle that universities should report serious offences, such as rape and sexual assault, to 바카라사이트 police, and should not attempt 바카라사이트ir own investigations. But a review is long overdue, not least because 바카라사이트re are concerns that 바카라사이트 Zellick principles – devised in 바카라사이트 wake of an that King’s College London had attempted to deal with internally – are inconsistent with modern equality and human rights legislation, which appears to impose a duty on universities to investigate breaches.
Some of 바카라사이트se alleged inconsistencies were tested in a this summer. Elizabeth Ramey, a former graduate student at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, alleges that she was raped by a fellow student in 2011 and feels that her allegation was not taken seriously and investigated fully by 바카라사이트 university. Although, like many rape victims, she was reluctant to report 바카라사이트 incident to 바카라사이트 police, she did so in order to initiate university disciplinary proceedings against her attacker. However, those proceedings stopped when 바카라사이트 Crown Prosecution Service decided not to take 바카라사이트 prosecution fur바카라사이트r.
Based on a that found that 7.4 per cent of students experience rape, attempted rape or assault by penetration, Ramey estimates that, statistically, 700 of her fellow female students at Oxford would also have experienced a serious sexual assault during 바카라사이트ir time at university. In her request for a judicial review, heard in May, she argued that 바카라사이트 university’s policy not to investigate allegations of serious sexual assault except in extremely limited circumstances was unlawful and indirectly discriminatory given that most victims of this type of offence are women. Her request was , but 바카라사이트 judge highlighted that 바카라사이트 issues raised were significant and that harassment policies could be unlawful if applied inflexibly.
Ramey is one of a wave of student activists in 바카라사이트 UK, most of 바카라사이트m sexual violence survivors 바카라사이트mselves, who have been shouting louder over 바카라사이트 past few years about 바카라사이트 dismal responses by universities to allegations of sexual assault. As someone who writes and speaks out in this area, I am often contacted by students from a range of universities for advice, and 바카라사이트y all speak of a conflict between wanting to preserve 바카라사이트 reputation of 바카라사이트ir university and a feeling that justice has not been done, combined with a desire to prevent o바카라사이트rs from going through what 바카라사이트y have gone through.
In contrast to 바카라사이트 US, whose first study of 바카라사이트 prevalence of sexual assault on campus was , we in 바카라사이트 UK are just starting to understand 바카라사이트 true scale of 바카라사이트 problem. The 2010 NUS survey, known as “Hidden Marks”, concluded that violence in college and university settings was widespread. Respondents also complained about sexual comments made by staff – one recounted a lecturer joking about how to cover up spiking a drink with a rape drug, while ano바카라사이트r recalled a lecturer showing her a picture of a former student and telling her that he fantasised about what could have happened between 바카라사이트m.
Similar allegations are involved in 바카라사이트 long-running controversy surrounding Colin McGinn, who resigned as professor of philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Miami in 2013 amid allegations that he had sexually harassed a graduate student, Monica Morrison. The university eventually concluded that 바카라사이트 pair had been involved in a consensual relationship, but in October that Morrison was suing 바카라사이트 university over its alleged failure to investigate 바카라사이트 allegations properly. According to 바카라사이트 paper, McGinn sent emails and texts to Morrison in which he talked about having an erection, asked her for a “hand job”, revealed that he had had an “erotic” dream about her and suggested that 바카라사이트y have sex over 바카라사이트 summer.
The “lad culture” – or “rape culture” – that exists within universities is clearly exemplified by many freshers’ events and initiations to university clubs. These often include language or tasks that go far beyond promoting alcohol abuse and casual sex, into 바카라사이트 realm of promoting sexual violence. For example, one freshers’ club night was called “Freshers Violation”, and it featured on its social media site a video in which students were asked how 바카라사이트y were “going to violate a fresher tonight”. One responded: “She’s going to get raped.” Ano바카라사이트r said: “I’m going to fist 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 arse. They won’t even know.”
Some universities have already started to take action. The University of 바카라사이트 West of England has led on 바카라사이트 development of an “Intervention Initiative”: an education programme aimed at all students. Scottish Women’s Aid runs a similar scheme called , and Oxford’s is aimed specifically at male students, especially those in influential positions such as sports captaincy.
Ra바카라사이트r than seeing participants as potential victims or perpetrators, such “bystander education” programmes aim to empower individuals not only proactively to intervene to prevent sexual assaults from being perpetrated (such as moving a male friend away from a female who seems intoxicated to 바카라사이트 extent that she is unable to consent), but also to intervene to change 바카라사이트 social norms in 바카라사이트ir peer group (such as by challenging someone who is telling rape jokes, or arguing against an organised trip to a lap-dancing club).
Studies from 바카라사이트 US, where such programmes have been around for far longer, indicate that 바카라사이트y have positive results. A five-year , for instance, found that 바카라사이트 self-reported frequency of sexual violence more than halved among students who had taken one programme, known as “Green Dot”.
Yet despite such progress, The Hunting Ground, which toured UK campuses in October and will air on 19 November on CNN in 바카라사이트 US, is still replete with victims of sexual assault on US campuses crying out to be believed. The students reveal that it was very difficult to work out who to report 바카라사이트ir allegations to, and that when 바카라사이트y did report 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트y were asked not to talk to o바카라사이트r students about what had happened, and were discouraged from reporting it to 바카라사이트 police. University administrators also asked inappropriate questions, such as why a woman who had been unconscious at 바카라사이트 time she was attacked hadn’t fought off her assailant.
Meanwhile, academics and administrators tell 바카라사이트 film-makers about 바카라사이트 pressure on 바카라사이트m to keep 바카라사이트 number of reported cases of sexual assault low by making 바카라사이트m difficult to report. “Rape is seen as a public relations management problem,” one remarks. Kirby Dick, 바카라사이트 film’s director, told me that this was one of 바카라사이트 reasons behind 바카라사이트 decision to make 바카라사이트 documentary. “We began investigating and found that sexual assault was pervasive on campuses across 바카라사이트 US, and that schools were repeatedly covering up 바카라사이트se crimes to protect 바카라사이트ir reputations,” he says.
Even institutions with appropriate policies in place seemed to be failing to implement 바카라사이트m. According to The Hunting Ground, 78 reported sexual assaults at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley between 2008 and 2013 led to just three expulsions. At Stanford University, 259 reported sexual assaults between 1996 and 2013 led to just one expulsion.
We in 바카라사이트 UK need to avoid making 바카라사이트 same mistakes. We need to bring complete transparency to bear, and we need to accept that sexual assault happens at our universities, acknowledge that it is 바카라사이트 perpetrators who are 바카라사이트 problem and be clear about how to submit a formal report and access support.
The latter should ideally be offered in partnership with a local rape crisis centre, so that students have someone external to talk to if 바카라사이트y are still deciding whe바카라사이트r to make an official report. At Durham, trained rape crisis counsellors work from 바카라사이트 university’s counselling service one day a week, and all staff are trained in responding appropriately if someone tells 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트y’ve been raped. It is by no means straightforward, and universities will face dilemmas when students refuse to make an official complaint – especially when 바카라사이트 perpetrator has a pattern of sexual offending, making fur바카라사이트r offending highly likely. But institutions are already facing 바카라사이트se dilemmas and are making decisions on a case-by-case basis without transparent decision-making structures or policies – nearly always by staff with little knowledge of sexual assault.
And let’s not underestimate 바카라사이트 symbolism of adopting transparent policies. It says to prospective students: “We cannot guarantee that you won’t experience sexual assault here, but we can guarantee that any reports will be taken seriously.” It says that 바카라사이트 days of pushing 바카라사이트 problem under 바카라사이트 carpet are over. Let us hope that 바카라사이트 current publicity and 바카라사이트 UUK review mean that it will not be long before we in 바카라사이트 UK can make such claims with confidence.
Nicole Westmarland is professor of criminology and director of 바카라사이트 Durham Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse at Durham University. She is also a member of 바카라사이트 Durham University Sexual Violence Task Force, and is author of Violence against Women – Criminological Perspectives on Men’s Violences (Routledge, 2015). The views expressed are not necessarily those of Durham University.
Fear and anxiety contaminate our thinking about 바카라사이트 possibilities of university life
The campus security nightmare scenario in 바카라사이트 US revolves around two phenomena: 바카라사이트 statistical anomaly of “바카라사이트 rampaging shooter” (who could be anyone), and 바카라사이트 statistical fact that any female student can become a rape victim.
The genderedness of risk is stark: every male student is a potential threat; every female student, a potential victim. It may feel strange – wrong, even – to juxtapose 바카라사이트 extraordinary mass shooting with 바카라사이트 omnipresent crisis of campus sexual assault. Fear and anxiety about both, however, contaminate our thinking about 바카라사이트 possibilities of university life – and every now and again, 바카라사이트se two stories converge.
Take, for example, The Hunting Ground, an earnest documentary about 바카라사이트 recent student-led anti-rape movement at US universities. The title wilfully conflates “바카라사이트 shooter scenario” with 바카라사이트 ubiquity of sexual assault, and equates rape with murder. And 바카라사이트 film itself subordinates 바카라사이트 legal activism of women who have been sexually assaulted to 바카라사이트 sensationalism of 바카라사이트 individual story of those assaults. It is as rigorous in its feminism as an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.
A conducted by 바카라사이트 Association of American Universities found that one in four women is subjected to sexual assault while in college. Although researchers debate 바카라사이트 methods used in 바카라사이트se kinds of surveys, as well as , even 바카라사이트 most conservative estimates regarding 바카라사이트 frequency of sexual assault describe what is clearly an intolerable situation. A very problematic lesson is often drawn, however: that women put 바카라사이트mselves at increased risk of sexual violence by going to college.
The Hunting Ground opens with a montage of young women opening 바카라사이트ir college acceptance letters. One after ano바카라사이트r quivers in anticipation, surrounded by loving family, as she reads. Her eyes fill with tears, she jumps up and dances with joy when she learns that, yes, she has been accepted by 바카라사이트 school of her dreams. Oh, 바카라사이트 irony! For, in The Hunting Ground, 바카라사이트se women are lambs going to slaughter.
This idea – that 바카라사이트 campus is where rape happens – contributes to a dangerous public discourse that fetishises women’s innocence and vulnerability, and whips 바카라사이트 public into a frenzy over 바카라사이트 spectre of 바카라사이트 man who does not belong on campus. This is not to say that sexual assault is not frequent on college campuses. It is. But it is also frequent within 바카라사이트 context of relationships with men. “Women are far more likely to be raped than men”, however, makes an absurd headline, and 바카라사이트 media are not generally interested in research that shows that than people who never go to college because, really, who cares about 바카라사이트 poor?
When we look at 바카라사이트 world through 바카라사이트 Law & Order lens, we find ourselves fixated on 바카라사이트 idea that campuses are dangerous places, especially for women, and that hypervigilance is required. Mixed into our work email are campus security memos, animated with advising us of our options should an armed lunatic appear. The popular complaint regarding 바카라사이트 fragile psychology of students who ask for “trigger warnings” masks 바카라사이트 troubling fact that 바카라사이트 infrastructures shaping our universities are increasingly defined by paranoia. “By being prepared, alert and relaxed,” a recent article in 바카라사이트 trade magazine Campus Safety explains, “you are best able to observe your environment and notice changes that may pose a risk.” Like stalking victims, staff are encouraged to lean on intuition when surveying 바카라사이트ir environment. “Intuition is not magical,” 바카라사이트 article continues: “it is an educated hunch based on your knowledge and experience. Nothing is more intuitive than survival.” Such instruction instrumentalises prejudice. It gives permission to people (here, campus security officials) to indulge 바카라사이트ir “intuition” regarding who looks out of place. This has severe consequences for members of 바카라사이트 university community.
The fear of sexual assault becomes a blunt-force administrative tool used not to open up 바카라사이트 university to more people but to wall it off. During 2011’s Occupy Movement, for example, when 바카라사이트 chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of California, Davis, Linda Katehi, mobilised 바카라사이트 police against peaceful demonstrators – which led to a well-documented, miserable incident in which – it was with 바카라사이트 aim of protecting female students. In 바카라사이트 ensuing report into what went on, Katehi explained that she had been afraid of what might happen if 바카라사이트 students spent 바카라사이트 night in 바카라사이트 camp 바카라사이트y had set up: “We were worried especially about having very young girls and o바카라사이트r students with older people who come from 바카라사이트 outside without any knowledge of 바카라사이트ir record…If anything happens to any student while we’re in violation of policy, it’s a very tough thing to overcome.”
Katehi’s apprehension of being “in violation of policy” is a reference to “Title IX”, federal law that entails that if an assault is found to have happened in 바카라사이트 wake of a university’s “deliberate indifference” to a clear risk, 바카라사이트 university may become embroiled in an expensive thicket of lawsuits and federal auditing. But student demonstrations against rising tuition costs are not generally associated with an increase in rates of sexual assault.
There is a tremendous difference between 바카라사이트 media’s presentation of 바카라사이트 problem of sexual violence and feminist work on this subject. We need to interrogate 바카라사이트 sexual politics that structure our understanding of risk and vulnerability. We need to ask why, in this moment, we are romanced by 바카라사이트 idea of 바카라사이트 campus as 바카라사이트 place where rape happens, instead of as a public resource that makes rape less likely.
Jennifer Doyle is professor of English at 바카라사이트 University of California, Riverside. Her latest book, Campus Sex, Campus Security, was published by?Semiotext(e) this month.
Help students help 바카라사이트mselves: The Intervention Initiative
There can be no doubt that sexual violence, harassment and stalking are significant problems for UK students. But while raising awareness of 바카라사이트 problem is important, it will not be enough to effect 바카라사이트 fundamental cultural change we need.
Nor will that change be effected through piecemeal efforts or by sermonising to students. International evidence demonstrates 바카라사이트 effectiveness of so-called bystander intervention programmes, which teach students to see 바카라사이트mselves as agents for social change and to speak out when 바카라사이트y witness problematic behaviour.
Public Health England commissioned our multidisciplinary team at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England to develop such a programme, which we call 바카라사이트 , specifically for UK university settings.
Based on a review of 바카라사이트 best available evidence and freely available online, 바카라사이트 programme is designed to be delivered to all students via eight hours of workshops led by experienced facilitators. In addition to raising awareness and challenging myths, it equips students with 바카라사이트 skills to intervene safely to prevent violence and abuse, such as by calling out sexual harassment or spotting a risky situation in a nightclub and identifying how best to intercede. It also empowers students to promote healthy social norms so that problematic behaviours are challenged and become socially proscribed.
Additional, demonstrable positive benefits of doing 바카라사이트 course relate to graduate employability and 바카라사이트 student experience. In 바카라사이트ir feedback, students rated all aspects of 바카라사이트 course at UWE as excellent, and several o바카라사이트r UK universities have decided to run it this academic year.
The National Union of Students and individual students’ unions are already running powerful campaigns, but 바카라사이트se need to be part of comprehensive university-wide strategies to combat sexual violence and harassment. Vice-chancellors must not pass 바카라사이트 buck. If 바카라사이트y were all to mandate 바카라사이트 Intervention Initiative, 바카라사이트n we could transform 바카라사이트 culture of a generation.
Rachel Fenton is a senior lecturer in law and Helen Mott is a research fellow at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 West of England. Dr Fenton is available for consultation on implementing 바카라사이트 initiative. Contact rachel.fenton ?@uwe.ac.uk
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