17% of respondents stated they had been victims of some form of sexual harassment
during their first week of term.
29% had witnessed sexual harassment directed at somebody else.
The most significant forms of harassment were unwanted sexual comments about
people’s bodies. 59% of these incidents were reported to have happened at social
events or night clubs and a further 33% in halls of residence.
Over half of the respondents were not made aware of any university codes of conduct.
Over half stated that they were not aware of the procedure to report these incidents.
Further to this research, the NUS also launched the ‘#StandByMe’ campaign in November
2015 which called for institutions to reject the Zellick guidelines (see chapter 6 of the main
report). A consultation was launched in April 2016 to collect students’ unions views on what
should be in place to support students affected by assault and other forms of sexual violence.
There were only 13 respondents but the results were combined into a manifesto outlining the
NUS’ recommendations to the UUK Taskforce.81 These reflect many of the areas that have
been addressed by the Taskforce.
Recent research commissioned by the alcohol education charity Drinkaware surveyed 2,004
students across the UK concerning their experiences on nights out. The survey found that
54% of 18–24-year-old female students experienced sexual harassment on nights out. Of
these women, half said that this is experienced most or every time they go out. 15% of male
students also said they have experienced sexual harassment on a night out. Drinkaware and
UNILAD have teamed up to campaign against the normalisation of sexual harassment, and
to raise awareness of the role that alcohol can play in this. This displays that the apparent
link between alcohol and the normalisation of behaviour which constitutes sexual
harassment continues to exist among students at universities. Although there is no official
research to confirm this link, the evidence reviewed and received by the Taskforce does
suggest that incidents of sexual harassment often happen in conjunction with the
consumption of alcohol.
Wider stakeholder evidence on violence against women and sexual harassment
affecting students
We received input from a number of experts and specialist organisations in relation to the
extent of violence against women, sexual assault and sexual harassment affecting university
students. This includes EVAW, End Rape on Campus (EROC), Rape Crisis, The Global
Foundation for the Elimination of Domestic Violence (GFEDV), the Centre for Feminist
Research (CFR), Professor Heidi Safia Mirza82, McAllister Olivarius solicitors83 and British
Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/resources/student-survivor-support-the-standbyme-manifesto
Professor of Race, Faith and Culture, Goldsmiths College University of London.
83 Dr Ann Olivarius, Senior Partner at McAllister Olivarius, established sexual harassment as a form of legal
discrimination under US Title IX legislation as a plaintiff in Alexander v Yale 35 years ago. McAllister Olivarius
specialises in representing people who have faced discrimination and unfair treatment in higher education in the
US and the UK.
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