as an area of focus. 18 The report highlights that‘ many institutions are keen to address equality issues holistically and move beyond basic compliance of the law … ensuring campuses are free from intolerance’. The government also recognised that the sector takes its responsibilities seriously and is‘ committed to tackling discrimination and challenging intolerance on campus’.
19. It is also worth noting that under current legislation, Jews are identified as members of a race as well as a religion and police can record crimes against them as either racially or religiously motivated. Evidence on antisemitism is considered in more depth later in this chapter and in Annexe C.
Anti-Muslim hate crime and harassment
20. Unlike antisemitism, there is no distinct government action plan on anti-Muslim hate crime and harassment. However, anti-Muslim hate crimes feature in the government’ s action plan to tackle hate crimes. The government’ s 2015 counterextremism strategy 19 also highlights violent and murderous attacks on Muslim citizens, and states that the government is determined that this‘… and the Islamophobia that underpins it, will be defeated and perpetrators brought to justice’. 20 Evidence of the extent of anti-Muslim hate crime and harassment is considered later in this chapter and in more detail in Annexe C.
OVERVIEW OF THE EVIDENCE CONSIDERED BY THE UUK TASKFORCE The general experience of university students in the UK
21. Most students in the UK have a positive experience at university, both academically and in terms of the wider university experience. The Times Higher Education( THE) student experience survey 2015 found that on average, universities across the UK were rated 5.8 on a 7-point scale in relation to whether there is a good environment on campus or around the university, and 5.5 in relation to community atmosphere. 21
22. Despite this positive feedback about the overall university experience, separate evidence shows that incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment are prevalent within wider society. Universities are a microcosm of society and are therefore affected by these same problems. The positive findings in student surveys should not be used to disguise the fact that incidents of all forms of harassment, hate crime and violence against women do affect university students and can have a significant negative impact. Universities need to foster a culture which does not accept the normalisation of this behaviour. The higher
18 https:// www. gov. uk / government / uploads / system / uploads / attachment _ data / file / 390904 / Governme nt _ Action _ on _ Antisemitism _ final _ 24 _ Dec. pdf
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https:// www. gov. uk / government / uploads / system / uploads / attachment _ data / file / 470088 / 51859 _ Cm 9148 _ Accessible. pdf
20 p. 10, https:// www. gov. uk / government / uploads / system / uploads / attachment _ data / file / 470088 / 51859 _ Cm9 148 _ Accessible. pdf. This strategy applies to England, Wales and Scotland, with specific guidance provided on how to apply in Scotland.
21 https:// www. timeshighereducation. com / news / times-higher-education-student-experience-survey- 2015-results / 2019564. article
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