CHAPTER 7: TASKFORCE RECOMMENDATIONS AND NEXT STEPS
As shown in chapter 3, the Taskforce identified a number of prominent themes from the
available evidence and agreed a range of recommendations. The recommendations below are
designed to support universities in adopting an institution-wide approach, embed effective
preventative measures and maximise the support provided to students who experience
incidents of sexual violence, harassment or hate crime. Universities UK will take a range of
steps to ensure that universities are fully aware of the Taskforce’s recommendations.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP
i.
The Taskforce recommends that all university leaders should afford tackling violence
against women, harassment and hate crime priority status and dedicate appropriate
resources to tackling it.
INSTITUTION-WIDE APPROACH
The Taskforce recommends that universities should:
ii.
take an institution-wide approach to tackling violence against women, harassment
and hate crime. (One way of adopting this institution-wide approach to responding to
incidents of sexual violence is to use the points set out in chapter 5 of this report as a
guide).
iii.
provide their governing bodies with regular progress reports summarising what
progress has been made towards adopting a cross-institution approach. This should
include reporting on the resource made available and used to support an effective
cross-institution approach, including any recommendations for additional resource.
iv.
carry out a regular impact assessment of their approach.
v.
involve their students’ union in developing, maintaining and reviewing all elements
of a cross-institution response.
PREVENTION
The Taskforce recommends that universities should:
vi.
adopt an evidence-based bystander intervention programme.
vii.
ensure that partnership agreements between the student and the university highlight
up-front the behaviours that are expected from all students as part of the university
community, set out disciplinary sanctions and state the university’s commitment to
ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students.
viii.
embed a zero-tolerance approach across all institutional activities including outreach
activities with schools and further education colleges, engagement with local bars and
nightclubs, student inductions (including international student inductions), and
student information.
ix.
take meaningful steps to embed into their human resources processes (such as
contracts, training, inductions) measures to ensure staff understand the importance
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