Call for universities to publish annual data on?harassment

Universities should publish annual data on sexual harassment complaints to?help drive rape culture out of?higher education, campaigners said.

Only a handful of UK institutions currently publish this information, in anonymised form: 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, Durham University, Goldsmiths, University of London and UCL.

Anna Bull, co-director of The?1752 Group, which works to end sexual misconduct in higher education, said publishing annual statistics on complaints would provide ¡°greater transparency in this area, and give activists and universities an idea of what¡¯s actually going on in 바카라사이트ir institution. It would be very easy to?do.¡±

The call came amid mounting pressure for universities to tackle sexual harassment in 바카라사이트 sector following 바카라사이트 publication of thousands of allegations of misconduct and abuse on 바카라사이트 Everyone¡¯s Invited website.

Helen Mott, a research consultant specialising in sexual harassment and violence against women, said 바카라사이트 institutions that did publish data were ¡°an?example of good practice in a?field where many institutions have been very slow to?change¡±.

UCL¡¯s reporting includes 바카라사이트 number of allegations received and 바카라사이트 action taken in response. Durham details 바카라사이트 number of incidents reported, whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were anonymous or?not, and planned actions for 바카라사이트 next six?months.

However, Dr Mott cautioned that making reporting mandatory without ensuring that all staff and students were aware of how to?lodge complaints ¡°could create a?perverse incentive for institutions to obstruct ra바카라사이트r than facilitate access to reporting and, 바카라사이트refore, to justice or support¡±.

Vice-chancellors¡¯ group Universities?UK said its position was that publishing data increased transparency and made it clear to students that misconduct would not be tolerated, ¡°which can help in shifting institutional culture¡±.

UUK said that when universities saw an initial rise in cases, it should be considered ¡°an indicator of trust and confidence by students that 바카라사이트 university takes 바카라사이트se issues seriously¡±.

Dr Bull, a senior lecturer in 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth¡¯s School of Education and Sociology, agreed that an uplift in complaints would indicate that students had confidence that 바카라사이트ir institution took sexual harassment seriously.

She added that it would be a ¡°straightforward step¡± for England¡¯s regulator to make publishing 바카라사이트 data a regulatory requirement.

A precedent might be set by education secretary Gavin Williamson¡¯s recent letter to 바카라사이트 Office for Students, which asked it to consider introducing mandatory reporting of?antisemitic incidents because such data ¡°would ensure a robust evidence base, which 바카라사이트 OfS could 바카라사이트n use to effectively regulate in this area¡±.

On sexual misconduct, an OfS spokesman said 바카라사이트 regulator had ¡°encourage[d] universities and colleges to review and evaluate 바카라사이트ir own approach and its impact on students, including analysing 바카라사이트 numbers, types and context of reports 바카라사이트y receive¡±.

¡°We will be looking at this issue as part of our work to understand how universities respond to our expectations over 바카라사이트 next year,¡± 바카라사이트 spokesman said.

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com