ABSTRACT

Stopping Gender-based Violence in Higher Education provides a unique insight into how gender-based violence at universities is impacting students and staff and outlines the path toward tangible changes that can prevent it. Bringing together perspectives from academics, activists, practitioners, and university administrators, the book presents a diverse range of voices to constructively critique the field.

Structured in three parts, the book begins by addressing the context, theory, and law that stipulates how universities can effectively respond to reports of gender-based violence. It goes on to discuss the most pragmatic ways to address the issue while contributing to prevention and supporting victim-survivors. Finally, the book advocates for the development of beneficial working partnerships with key external services available to university communities and also working with students as partners in an ethical and safe way. Throughout the book, contributors are invited to demonstrate a comprehensive institution-wide and trauma-informed approach to centre the needs of the victim-survivor and prioritize resources to undertake this vital work. Each chapter ends with a brief summary of key points or recommendations and suggested further reading on the chapter topic. Although the authors draw on research and policy from the UK Higher Education sector, the insights will be a useful resource for those in universities around the world.

This book is an essential reference point and resource for professionals, academics, and students in Higher Education, as well as indispensable reading for activists, policymakers, police, rape crisis groups, and other organisations supporting these universities who want to make meaningful change in reducing, responding to, and preventing gender-based violence in Higher Education.

chapter 1|8 pages

Introduction

We still have work to do

part I|139 pages

Context, theory, and law

chapter 3|18 pages

Hidden Marks

The contribution of student leaders to tackling gender-based violence on campus

chapter 6|21 pages

Perceptions of consent in UK Higher Education

Implications for policy and training

chapter 7|19 pages

Sexual violence in Higher Education

Prevalence and characteristics of perpetrators

chapter 8|20 pages

The legal framework

Limitations and opportunities

part II|172 pages

Practice

chapter 9|20 pages

EmilyTest

From tragedy to change

chapter 10|25 pages

Comprehensive institution-wide approach

What it means to be comprehensive

chapter 11|21 pages

Staff sexual misconduct in Higher Education

Impacts, responses, and challenges

chapter 13|23 pages

Investigation and interviewing

Responding to formal reports of sexual violence in Higher Education

chapter 14|21 pages

Primary prevention in Higher Education

Progress and opportunity

chapter 15|19 pages

Reflections on accessing and reporting on employee well-being data

Implications for hybrid-working and gender-based violence

chapter 16|19 pages

We should do something (someday)

Identifying and working through resistance to gender-based violence prevention

part III|102 pages

Partnerships

chapter 19|20 pages

Rape crisis

Taking a partnership approach to addressing gender-based violence with universities and colleges across Scotland

chapter 22|10 pages

Conclusion

Future directions in addressing our problem with gender-based violence in higher education