New full-time staff to tackle sexual violence in colleges

Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris is set to announce 17 new sexual violence and harassment prevention and response manager posts. File picture: Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie

Universities are to draft in full-time staff to tackle the issue of sexual violence and harassment on college campuses here.

The 17 new sexual violence and harassment prevention and response managers will be tasked with promoting a zero-tolerance culture towards sexual violence on Ireland’s college campuses.

The move is the next step in plans to address sexual violence and harassment in the higher education sector, following the first official survey to record the extent of the problem.

National survey

Published in January by the Higher Education Authority, the national survey on the experiences of staff and students found alarming levels of sexual harassment and violence in third-level institutions.

More than 1,100 students disclosed experiences consistent with a legal description of rape, while 7% of those who answered questions on sexual violence said they had been forced into oral sex.

A further 14% said they were subjected to oral sex while "incapacitated" and unable to give consent.

The 17 new sexual violence and harassment prevention and response manager posts are to be announced on Thursday by Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris at an event with student and staff leaders.

The new roles will involve data collection to record the prevalence of issues, as well as the rollout of consent classes and staff and student training.

Reacting to the news, Cliona Saidlear, executive director of Rape Crisis Network Ireland, said the new positions are “very welcome”.

“What we’ve heard from early on in tackling this problem on campuses is that what is needed is dedicated people working on this, as opposed to the volunteer staff members, working on top of their existing job, that we’ve mostly seen up until now,” she said.

It’s the next step in making our third-level institutions safe for students and staff.”

She said that the issue of sexual violence and harassment on campus “is important enough for it to have its own focus”. 

“Tackling the problem is fundamental to all institutions,” she said, adding that “a tremendous amount of work has gone into getting us to where we are now”.

Ms Saidlear added that while it is unclear if sexual violence and harassment is a bigger issue in third-level institutions than in society in general, “we do know that the 16-25 age group, particularly girls, is more vulnerable than any other category”.

Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said that her organisation “welcomes and looks forward to reviewing the measures proposed by the minister”.

In 2020, colleges were asked to each prepare action plans outlining how they individually planned to tackle issues such as inappropriate sexual behaviour, sexual harassment, and misconduct.

Speaking on Thursday, Mr Harris said the hope is that the measures will help shift attitudes going forward.

“They [the managers] will work in the institution in the leadership role in coordinating the efforts of that institution to adopt a zero-tolerance approach. 

"There is really good work going on in the sector. But I want this sector to be a leader, the sector itself wants to be a leader. We have an opportunity here to help change the culture around sexual harassment in the next generation and that's why we have to get this right,” he said.

Mr Harris also said that consent classes will be part of the programme, but said such consent education must begin at a much earlier stage in a child’s education.

“If I'm to be really truthful, though, it's not happening early enough in life. That's why I see the work that we're doing here in my department very much having to dovetail with the work the Department of Education is doing in relation to the reform of sexual relationship education,” he said.

The Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions implementation plan focuses on education, research, and supports, and will outline measures to be developed by 2024.

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

It is expected to also consider the appointment of skilled external investigators to tackle cases of sexual violence and harassment against staff and students, and to map a victim’s journey from reporting to an outcome.

The plan is also expected to recommend a study be undertaken to analyse the views and experiences of those to whom disclosures were made.

Consent classes, the development of the anonymous reporting tool, and bystander programmes have become part of campus culture, said Mr Harris.

“We want these to become embedded and stronger,” he said.

“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.

“We have heard too from staff and students that full-time staff are required to drive this agenda,” he added.

Funding for the new posts, worth €1.5m, was secured as part of Budget 2023.

“To manage the implementation of institutional consent programmes and to engage appropriately with internal and external stakeholders, we need to resource our institutions and this is a crucial part of that work,” said the minister.