organisations that provide support to victims and to ensure that institutions are aware of
new referral pathways being established in order to encourage reporting.
3. EVIDENCE ON HARASSMENT/HATE CRIME ON THE BASIS OF RELIGION AND BELIEF
Published research
Concerns have been raised with UUK around incidents of harassment and hate crime on the
basis of religion and belief, particularly in relation to antisemitism and anti-Muslim
harassment and hate crime. This section sets out the available evidence on these issues as
they affect university students.
In 2011, the ECU undertook research to explore whether issues relating to religion and belief
were having an impact on the higher education sector at the time. The ECU collected
evidence from 3,077 members of staff and 3,935 students. Although this research was not
statistically representative, it is important in that it was one of the first attempts to
understand whether student and staff experiences on campus differed because of their
religion or belief. The research culminated in a report, Religion and Belief in higher
education: the experiences of staff and students (2011). Experiences were explored through
four themes, one of which was discrimination and harassment on campus, the findings of
which are set out below:
An overwhelming majority of both staff (80.2%) and students (92.4%) either agreed
or strongly agreed that their institution created an environment where they felt
valued and welcomed.
There was no clear pattern in the religion or belief identities of those who did not
indicate that they felt valued.
Around a quarter of Jewish students (20 students in total) said that they felt
discriminated against or harassed.
Around 16% of Sikh respondents (6 students in total) said that they had felt
discriminated against or harassed.
14% of Muslim survey respondents (50 students in total) said they felt discriminated
against or harassed.111
As research into other areas of harassment, hate crime and violence against women suggests,
incident reporting here is also low. The ECU survey found that less than 1.7% of student
respondents had made a complaint since 2003. The report cited two differing views on why
this might be the case: first, that higher education institutions are tolerant and respectful
environments and therefore there were low levels of discrimination and harassment, and
secondly, that individuals were reluctant to report incidents. Ensuring that an individual
feels safe to report an incident is crucial.
The study suggests that the vast majority of respondents have not experienced
discrimination or harassment on the grounds of religion or belief and that universities have
tried to create a tolerant and inclusive atmosphere. However, where it has occurred, the
111
ECU, Religion and belief in higher education: the experiences of staff and students, (2011), p.78.
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