INPUT FROM SPECIALIST AGENCIES
In recognition of the specialist nature of many of the issues being considered by the Taskforce, UUK engaged with several specialist agencies to inform the Taskforce’ s work. These included Rape Crisis England and Wales, individual Rape Crisis centres and the End Violence Against Women Coalition. LimeCulture also provided significant input particularly in developing the institution-wide approach to responding to sexual violence, as set out in Chapter 5.
INPUT FROM ACADEMIC EXPERTS
The Taskforce received and considered a range of evidence from a number of academics with relevant expertise, including the Centre for Feminist Research at Goldsmiths, University of London, Rachel Fenton( Senior Lecturer, University of the West of England) and Dr Alison Phipps( Reader in Sociology and Director of the Centre for Gender Studies, University of Sussex.
WIDER STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
UUK also formally invited a number of organisations to submit evidence. Invaluable contributions were received from a wide range of external bodies including the Union of Jewish Students, Stonewall, Tell MAMA, Galop and the Community Security Trust. A number of law firms also approached UUK directly to share their expertise. The publication of regular updates on the Taskforce’ s progress also generated the submission of further evidence from interested parties.
REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL EVIDENCE
The Taskforce recognised that issues of sexual violence, harassment and hate crime are not confined to UK universities or the higher education sector. In view of this, the Taskforce also reviewed international evidence and initiatives to identify the lessons that the UK could learn from other countries. This involved looking at the US experience, the Universities Australia campaign‘ Respect. Now. Always’ and recent initiatives in Canada.
PARLIAMENTARY ACTIVITY
The Taskforce engaged regularly with ministers, MPs and other parliamentarians in relation to its work. This included a meeting in December 2015 of the All Party Parliamentary Universities Group( APPG) entitled Stamping out sexual harassment and‘ lad culture’ in the university sector 67.
In June 2016, UUK also hosted a parliamentary roundtable on the experience of Jewish students at UK universities, which was attended by members of the APPG on antisemitism, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Union of Jewish Students and others.
UUK also monitored the Women and Equalities Committee’ s inquiry into sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools, which reported in September 2016. The Taskforce has taken the inquiry’ s evidence and findings into account in the development of its work, recognising
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For more details, including a note of the meeting see http:// universityappg. co. uk / meetings / stamping-outsexual-harassment-and- % E2 % 80 % 98lad-culture % E2 % 80 % 99-university-sector
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