Prevent and address harassment and sexual misconduct

Resources for higher education providers

The sector has developed many useful resources which universities and colleges may find helpful in the development of their own work to prevent and address harassment and sexual misconduct. We will update this page as new materials become available.

General resources
Reports on addressing harassment
Reports on addressing sexual misconduct

Many of the projects from the Catalyst Student Safeguarding Programme have produced valuable resources, which universities and colleges may find useful in developing their own approaches to addressing sexual misconduct, hate crime and online harassment.

These resources include training materials, guidance and reporting and supporting tools. See the full list of resources.

Examples include:

University of Suffolk’s online safeguarding self-review tool
Coventry University’s ‘Tackling religion or belief-related harassment and hate incidents: A guide for higher education providers’
University of Leicester and the Centre for Hate Studies’ training modules on ‘Hate crime in higher education’
Keele University’s staff training materials on taking a disclosure of sexual violence, using a trauma-informed approach.

Reports

General:

OfS, UK HUN, UUK: The intersection of sexual violence, alcohol and drugs at universities and colleges (PDF)
A briefing note following a meeting hosted by the UK Healthy Universities Network in collaboration with the Office for Students and Universities UK on the impact alcohol and drugs can have on sexual violence in universities and colleges.
UUK: ‘Changing the culture’, ‘One year on’ and ‘Two years on’
Reports that examine evidence of violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting students. Makes a series of recommendations for universities
UUK: ‘Changing the culture: sharing personal data in harassment cases’
Sector guidance to increase understanding around when it is appropriate to share personal data when managing harassment complaints.
Advance HE: Evaluation reports of student safeguarding Catalyst programme
Includes recommendations for the sector for tackling harassment, hate and sexual misconduct
UUK & Pinsent Masons: ‘Guidance for higher education institutions: how to handle alleged student misconduct’
These guidelines related to all types of student misconduct which may constitute a criminal offence and provide specific recommendations in relation to sexual misconduct
OIA: Good practice framework for disciplinary procedures (PDF)
Good practice guidance for providers in designing disciplinary procedures and in handling individual cases
URKI: ‘Preventing harm (safeguarding) in research and innovation policy’ (PDF)
UKRI expectations of the individuals and organisation in their approach to safeguarding those involved in, or that come into contact with, the research and innovation activities they fund.
AVA, NUS and UUK: Combat Misconduct toolkit (PDF)
This toolkit offers practical support for vice-chancellors, principal and senior leaders who are developing strategies to address sexual misconduct, harassment and hate incidents at university.
CUC: ‘Tackling Harassment and Sexual Misconduct’ (PDF)
Practical guidance for chairs and governing bodies in leading and managing harassment and sexual misconduct in their universities.

Addressing harassment:

UUK: ‘Tackling online harassment and promoting online welfare’
Guidance outlines a set of principles to support universities to prevent and respond to online harassment occurring between students
UUK: ‘Tackling racial harassment in higher education’
Recommendations designed to decisively tackle racial harassment as part of efforts to address racial inequality in UK higher education
UUK: ‘Beginning the conversation’ and ‘Continuing the conversation’
Briefings on responding to domestic violence and technology mediated abuse in higher education during the COVID-19 pandemic
UUK: Tackling antisemitism: practical guidance for universities
This guidance suggests actions universities can take to tackle antisemitism.
UUK: Tackling Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred: practical guidance for universities
This guidance suggests actions universities can take to tackle Islamophobia.
NUS: The experience of Muslim Students in 2017-18
Research into the experiences of Muslim students in further and higher education in the UK. Includes recommendations for the sector
EHRC: Tackling racial harassment: universities challenged
Report that presents the findings of the EHRC inquiry into racial harassment in publicly funded universities in England, Scotland and Wales. Includes recommendations for change
London Metropolitan University, Sofia Akel: The rise of Islamophobia in Higher Education
Research into the experiences of Muslim staff and students in higher education. The report specifically examines Islamophobia at London Metropolitan University and sets out recommendations for the university
CST: Campus antisemitism in Britain 2020-2022 (PDF)
An investigation of antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish students, academics and student bodies in the UK.
CST: Antisemitic Incidents Report 2022 (PDF)
An investigation found that antisemitic incidents affecting Jewish students, academics and student bodies in 2022 were more likely to occur online than incidents outside of the higher education sector.
UCLAN Honour Abuse Research Matrix (HARM) network, Dr Roxanne Khan: Domestic abuse policy guidance for UK universities (PDF)
This guidance was written to support university policymakers to develop effective and inclusive domestic abuse policies.
SOAS: ‘Islam and Muslims on University Campuses: perceptions and challenges’
This report offers the first cross-sector examination of how Muslims are viewed, treated and subjected to processes of inclusion and exclusion within UK universities.
HEPI: ‘Living Black at University’
This research explores the experiences of Black students across university accommodation and private halls of residence, amplifying their voices and stories to the wider higher education sector.

Addressing sexual misconduct:

OfS: Insight brief - Tackling sexual misconduct in universities and colleges
An Insight brief looking at the duties of universities to protect students, and summarising data on the prevalence and effects of sexual misconduct.
NUS: Hidden Marks
A study of women student’s experiences of harassment, stalking, violence and sexual assault. Includes recommendations for the sector
NUS and The 1752 Group: Power in the academy
Research of the patterns and behaviours involved in staff-to-student sexual misconduct and students experiences of reporting to their institution. Includes recommendations for the sector
The 1752 Group & McAllister Olivarius: ‘Sector guidance to address staff sexual misconduct in UK higher education’
Recommendations for reporting, investigation and decision-making procedures relating to student complaints of staff sexual misconduct
Empowered Campus: ‘A lot left to learn: Student experiences of gender based violence at university’
#CombatMisconduct Resource Hub has been developed by AVA (Against Violence & Abuse) in partnership with Universities UK and the NUS
AVA, UUK and NUS: Combat Misconduct Impact Matrix
This Impact Matrix tool has been designed to help institutions measure and improve their approach to tackling and preventing sexual misconduct.
Epigram: Bristol SU shares results of consent culture and sexual harassment research
An article on Bristol Students' Union's research project into consent culture and sexual harassment at the University of Bristol.
UUK: ‘Changing the culture: tackling staff-to-student sexual misconduct’
Guidance on how to prevent and respond to cases of staff-to-student sexual misconduct in higher education

Published 19 April 2021
Last updated 10 November 2022 + show all updates

10 November 2022: Added link to OfS Insight brief: Tackling sexual misconduct in universities and colleges
01 August 2022: UUK: ‘Changing the culture: sharing personal data in harassment cases’ added to resources list
11 March 2022: Added Combat Misconduct Toolkit, Islam and Muslims on University Campuses, Living Black at University, #CombatMisconduct Resource Hub, ‘No Means No’ survey and Changing the culture resources. Updated broken links.
05 January 2022: Harassment resource added
15 June 2021: Harassment resource added

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Prevent and address harassment and sexual misconduct

Resources for higher education providers

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