Addressing Student Sexual Violence in Higher Education: A Good Practice Guide

Description

Sexual violence is a well-documented issue within Higher Education and wider society. Students subjected to sexual violence suffer impacts to their physical, psychological, emotional, behavioural, and practical wellbeing, which have significant effects on their studies. Higher Education Institutions have a duty to ensure students can access their education in environments that are safe, without fear, harassment, or violence. Currently, there is a critical lack of guidance on how to meaningfully address this issue in practical terms. Advice offered to the sector, particularly in the UK, has focused on why Higher Education Institutions need to address sexual violence, offering general principles to shape institutions' responses. This unique text is the first to offer practical guidance on how to address sexual violence, utilising a comprehensive institution-wide approach. This ethical method is trauma-informed and survivor-centred whilst being intersectional and requiring perpetrator accountability. The authors provide how-to level information on staffing, policy writing, responding to disclosures, developing comprehensive prevention and response education programmes, conducting trauma-informed investigations, adjudication and sanctioning processes and considering sanctioning guidelines for sexual violence. This is a ground-breaking resource for practitioners, senior leaders, policy makers, student services administrators, educators, investigators and adjudicators in Higher Education. Cover ADDRESSING STUDENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION REVIEWS ADDRESSING STUDENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN HIGHER EDUCATION: Good Practice Guide Copyright RAPE AND SEXUAL ABUSE COUNSELLING CENTRE TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ABOUT THE AUTHORS FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 1: Why 1. Introduction 2. Sexual Violence in Higher Education: An International Issue Prevalence in Higher Education Perpetration in Higher Education Commonalities in Addressing Sexual Violence Internationally 3. The Call to Action: Higher Education Institutions' Role in Addressing Sexual Violence Impact of Sexual Violence on Victim-survivors and the Community Legal Framework Sector Guidance Risks of Not Addressing Sexual Violence Call to Action 2: How 4. Embedding a Comprehensive Institution-wide Approach Comprehensive Institution-wide Approach Trauma-informed Approach Survivor-centred and Human Rights-based Social Justice–based Approach Intersectional Perpetrator Accountability Sector Guidance Understanding the Local Problem Embedding the Approach Resource Required Staffing Resources for Investigations Multiple Doors for Reporting Partnership Working Governance 5. Developing a Sexual Violence Policy and Procedure Policy Outline Key Principles Definitions Types of misconduct defined Consent defined Key terms defined Scope of the Policy Options for Support Reporting Options Procedure Risk Assessment Precautionary Measures Investigation and Adjudication Procedure Rights of Involved Parties Standard of Proof Communication of Policy 6. Comprehensive Institution-wide Education Considering In-person or Online Training Options Key Elements of Training Student Education Consent Education Active Bystander Education Staff Training Awareness Raising and Responding to Disclosures Investigation Training Adjudication and Sanctioning Training Campaigning Additional Considerations Peer-facilitated vs Staff/Expert-facilitated Training Risk Reduction Courses – Whose Risk? Facilitation Techniques and Tips 7. Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence Barriers to Disclosure Key Principles in Disclosure Response Principle 1 – Empower Survivors to Choose How to Take Forward a Disclosure Principle 2 – Safeguard Survivors and the Wider Community Principle 3 – Ensure Staff Are Trained to Respond to Disclosures How to Respond to a Disclosure Believe Reasons why believing helps the institution Reasons why believing helps victim-survivors How to Believe Listen Offer Options and Resources Recording a Disclosure Get Support for Yourself: Self-Care for the Responder What Not to Do 8. Trauma-Informed Investigations Effective Investigators Trauma-Informed Trauma Response Investigation Models Collecting Evidence Witnesses Common Defences and Investigative Strategies Interview Techniques and Tips Record Keeping during an Investigation Assessing Credibility Report Writing Communicating the Investigation Outcome Integrity of the Investigation 9. The Disciplinary Process Principles for Disciplinary Procedures Separating the Three Stages of Discipline Including the Reporting Party in the Process Adjudication Sanctioning Sanctioning Guidelines Mitigating, Aggravating and Compounding Factors Appeal Options 10. Concluding Thoughts and Recommendations RESOURCES REFERENCES INDEX