'Significant funding needed to tackle sexual violence in higher education

A report launched today calls for further funding to prevent sexual violence in higher education institutions. Picture: File Image

Further funding, resources and “robust, trusted” policies are needed to promote consent and prevent sexual violence in higher education institutions, a new report has found.

The PROPEL report, conducted by the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA), and published on Monday, issued 10 “high-level recommendations” to the Department of Education and Skills through the Higher Education Authority.

It seeks to assist technological higher education institutions to implement the national framework for consent.

The report calls for “significant” further funding to be made available in the area of sexual misconduct management, both at a national level and institutional level.

Specific posts, such as a “sexual misconduct prevention and response manager”, should be created in institutions and should be supported at a national level by a sectoral representative and a panel of trained investigators, the report states.

THEA called for increased collaboration among higher education institutions in this area, and called for sector-wide guidance, identifiers and categories of misconduct offences and appropriate sanctions to be introduced.

Training for staff and students is also identified as a key priority for institutions, along with increased visibility of support, services, and communications in this area across institutions.

The report was compiled with “extensive consultation” with representative groups including rape crisis centres, trade unions and traditional universities, THEA said.

The action plans will be delivered to Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris “in the coming weeks”, the association added.

Dr Eavan O’Brien, policy analyst and author of the report, said society’s understanding of sexual violence and harassment in higher education is “still developing” and the correct responses to these issues are “also in evolution”.

“Sexual violence and harassment are generally related to power. We must examine structural inequities that are the drivers of unacceptable behaviour and that set the conditions for abuse of power,” Dr O’Brien said.

“This includes challenging and dismantling sexism, racism, ableism, and discrimination based on gender identity, expression, and sexual orientation. We must also recognise, as a society, that we will be more successful in eradicating these behaviours if we educate and raise awareness of sexual consent at primary and post-primary levels.” 

Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, said institutions cannot end sexual harassment and violence in isolation, and they must work in “close collaboration”.

“We all know that sexual violence and harassment is not confined to higher education but, instead, affects every part of society. However, we also know and recognise that higher education institutions are uniquely placed to address this harmful behaviour,” she added.

The Programme for Government, published in June 2020, made several commitments to tackling sexual harassment in higher education.

On August 4, Minister Harris wrote to the presidents of all institutions, requesting that consent classes be made mandatory for incoming students, that each institution develops an action plan to tackle the issue, and that they provide a report to the Higher Education Authority on their progress on implementing the framework for consent.