Universities to create posts to tackle sexual harassment on campus

Universities are to create a range of new management posts to help drive “zero tolerance” of sexual harassment on college campuses.

In addition, skilled external investigators may also be hired to investigate cases of sexual violence and harassment against staff and students.

The move follows research which indicates that thousands of college students at third level have experienced harassment or unwanted sexual advances.

In all, a total of 17 “sexual violence and harassment prevention and response manager” posts will be created across higher education institutions to drive reform in this area, including the rollout of sexual consent classes and staff and student training.

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Minister for Further and Higher Simon Harris, who has allocated €1.5 million to universities for the initiative, said the posts are in addition to those announced in Budget 2023 to reduce the student-staff ratio.

“Consent classes, the development of the anonymous reporting tool and the bystander programmes have become part of campus culture,” he said.

“We want these to become embedded and stronger. If we are to achieve zero tolerance though we cannot stay still and must keep trying new ways to prevent sexual harassment and violence. That’s where this plan, developed by the experts, comes into play.”

A poll of almost 8,000 students and 3,500 staff across all third-level institutions last year collected data from respondents on their experiences of sexual harassment and sexual violence.

Almost 6,000 students responded to questions on sexual violence. Some 14 per cent said yes when asked if someone “had oral sex with them while they were incapacitated and unable to give consent”, while 7 per cent said this had happened when they were physically forced to do so.

More than 3,000 women students responded to questions on non-consensual sex. Of these, 34 per cent – more than 1,100 students – experienced non-consensual vaginal penetration through coercion, incapacitation, force, or threat of force.

A large majority of students also said they had experience of sexist harassment or hostility.

This included the experience of being treated differently because of gender, offensive remarks, being put down or condescended to because of gender.

More than half of the student respondents said they had also experienced examples of sexual harassment such as repeatedly being told offensive sexual jokes, unwelcome attempts at being drawn into a discussion of sexual matters or offensive remarks about appearance, body or sexual activities.

On a more positive note, a majority of students agreed that they felt safe from sexual violence and harassment at their accommodation and around the campus. A third or less felt safe socialising at night on campus or in the local community.