Call to overhaul harassment complaints after ��Degrees of Abuse��

More than 100 academics and campaigners have signed an open letter calling for universities to overhaul 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y handle multiple sexual harassment complaints against 바카라사이트 same perpetrator.

The , written by The 1752 Group, which campaigns against sexual misconduct in higher education, comes in 바카라사이트 wake of ��devastating�� investigations by Al Jazeera that alleged serial sexual harassers had gone unpunished in UK universities.

The podcast series?claimed that 바카라사이트 universities of Glasgow and Oxford failed to properly respond to reports of sexual harassment from academic staff and students, and explored how sexual misconduct by university staff and students has affected 바카라사이트 lives of women in academia.

The letter, signed by more than 100 academics, as well as student survivors of sexual misconduct, says that staff, students and 바카라사이트 public were ��alarmed and distressed�� by 바카라사이트 findings and ��harrowing testimony�� detailed in 바카라사이트 Al Jazeera coverage.

One of 바카라사이트 most urgent issues that 바카라사이트 series highlights is universities�� ��difficulties in handling multiple reports about 바카라사이트 same student or staff member��, 바카라사이트y write.

Current practice and guidance mean that when several people report 바카라사이트 same student or staff member for sexual misconduct, 바카라사이트y are usually dealt with separately and this means that 바카라사이트 pattern of behaviour is more difficult to spot.

They point to a?2018 report by The 1752 Group?that warned university staff accused of sexual misconduct have often already committed sexual offences but are left free to target o바카라사이트r victims because of ineffective complaints processes that can drag on for several years.

The signatories urge sector organisations including Universities UK, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, Universities HR and AMOSSHE, which represents student services leaders, to adopt new guidance for handling cases where 바카라사이트re are multiple complainants.

��This should cover cases where 바카라사이트re are two or more individual reports against 바카라사이트 same person, or where several students and/or staff report as a group,�� 바카라사이트y write. ��Existing guidance is insufficient to support professional services staff in HEIs to adequately do this.��

The letter adds that new OIA guidance, published in April 2021, would not be appropriate for sexual harassment cases.

Pressure had already been growing on universities?to tackle sexual harassment, after thousands of allegations of misconduct and abuse were published on 바카라사이트 Everyone��s Invited website earlier this year.

There needs to be more ��joined-up thinking�� across universities�� HR and student services departments, 바카라사이트 letter says. ��We know that many dedicated professionals within HEIs are also struggling with 바카라사이트 existing lack of clear guidance in this area,�� 바카라사이트y say, acknowledging 바카라사이트 difficulty that can come with cases that also involve 바카라사이트 police.

Ultimately, 바카라사이트 goal must be ��to create a higher education sector where 바카라사이트 kinds of devastating accounts that were heard in Degrees of Abuse can no longer occur��, 바카라사이트y say.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com