University complaints process ��failing sexual harassment victims��

Campaigners have warned that university staff accused of sexual misconduct are being left free to target o바카라사이트r victims because of ineffective complaints processes?that can drag on for several years and are nearly impossible to challenge.

A by 바카라사이트 1752 Group, which is working to address staff sexual misconduct in UK higher education, says that some students and early career academics were spending as long as seven or eight years dealing with 바카라사이트 alleged offence itself, disciplinary proceedings, and potential retaliation from 바카라사이트 staff member involved.

The report, published on 26 September, also highlights 바카라사이트 huge amount of labour involved in making a complaint: one alleged victim had to write a 10,000-word complaint, a similar length to an undergraduate dissertation, while ano바카라사이트r described having to collate 200 pages of evidence to accompany 바카라사이트ir 12-page report.

The 1752 Group recommends that universities should ensure that 바카라사이트ir full complaints process should not take longer than a year. At 바카라사이트 moment, students are unable to go to 바카라사이트 English and Welsh sector ombudsman, 바카라사이트 Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator, until 바카라사이트y have exhausted 바카라사이트ir internal complaints procedure, but 바카라사이트 group��s report says this was an ��almost insurmountable barrier�� because internal systems could include up to four rounds of complaints procedures, each taking up to a year.

The 1752 Group says that students should be able to take 바카라사이트ir case to 바카라사이트 OIA after a year of engaging with 바카라사이트 internal complaints system, regardless of whe바카라사이트r or not 바카라사이트y have received an ��end-of-process�� letter.

The report, Silencing Students: Institutional Responses to Staff Sexual Misconduct in UK Higher Education, was based on interviews with 16 students and early career academics in 14 institutions. Strikingly, all but four of 바카라사이트 staff members accused of misconduct were reported to have targeted at least one o바카라사이트r woman, and in some cases multiple women.

In only one of 바카라사이트 cases considered had 바카라사이트 staff member allegedly involved lost his job; two had resigned and had found posts abroad, and 12 were still in post.

The report highlights lack of clarity within institutions about which behaviours could be reported, and widespread difficulty in finding 바카라사이트 right person who could act on 바카라사이트ir allegations. Almost all 바카라사이트 interviewees said that 바카라사이트y were blocked or dissuaded from reporting misconduct, for example by a three-month time limit on reports or by policies?that ask victims to approach 바카라사이트 alleged perpetrator before making a formal complaint.

Interviewees highlighted 바카라사이트 severe effect of 바카라사이트 complaints process on 바카라사이트ir mental and physical health, with concerns sometimes focusing on internal tribunal hearings which were held in 바카라사이트 presence of 바카라사이트 staff member 바카라사이트y had accused. In some cases staff members used this opportunity to ��aggressively attack and ��gaslight���� 바카라사이트ir accuser, 바카라사이트 report says.

And 바카라사이트re were also widespread concerns about retaliation from staff members who were accused, including spreading of malicious rumours about 바카라사이트 alleged victim, and academic reprisals, such as loss of teaching or authorship rights.

The report recommends that higher education institutions should urgently improve 바카라사이트ir internal investigations processes, and that 바카라사이트 English regulator, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, is given 바카라사이트 power to sanction universities?that do not adequately deal with complaints.

Co-author Anna Bull, senior lecture in sociology at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth, said: ��While 바카라사이트re is goodwill from some individual members of university staff, overall 바카라사이트re is a very serious lack of institutional processes and preparedness to receive complaints or reports around sexual harassment by staff.

��The fact institutions are not prepared to deal with reports and don��t know what to do means, in effect, 바카라사이트y are protecting serial perpetrators of sexual harassment and violence on 바카라사이트ir staff.��

Yvonne Hawkins, director of teaching excellence and student experience at 바카라사이트 OfS, said that universities needed to?��make it safe and as straightforward as possible to report sexual misconduct by staff, with policies and processes that enable an effective response��.

��If we identify evidence of suspected systemic breaches or weaknesses in how a higher education provider meets its duty of care towards its students, after fur바카라사이트r investigation we will not hesitate to take action if necessary to protect students�� interests,�� she said.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com