Sexual Misconduct Case Handling – Training for Higher Education Institutions

Problem

Students are more likely than other groups to be subjected to sexual assault which along with other forms of sexual misconduct can have a devastating effect on their studies and their mental health. The Office for Students has recommended increasing organisational support from Universities, however there is little guidance or consistency on the key issues and processes that should be followed by university OSCAR teams.

Solution

The Sexual Misconduct Case Handling (solution name TBC) approach provides a framework for academics and professional services staff to work to when cases of sexual misconduct involving students are reported. It offers training for frontline staff and bespoke training for sexual misconduct investigations and Panel hearings which can ensure the investigation process and outcome is clearer and more transparent, building confidence in the system. It draws on legal expertise on how to engage an expert witness, or determine methods to overcome barriers to disclosure and uses group work to practice analysis and decision making using hypothetical case studies as well as identifying potential biases.

It creates a framework for universities which covers:

• Overview of forms of violence & abuse
• Major forms of abuse in detail
• Trauma-informed approaches
• Memory
• Navigating consent
• Identifying and confronting bias
• The UK Student Culture
• Principles of Case Management & Investigation
• Perpetrator strategies

Sustainable Development Goals addressed

Some facts:

• In 2018 The Student Room found that 62% of all students and recent graduates surveyed have experienced sexual violence and that 8% of female students who responded to the consultation report having been raped whilst at university.
• In a survey National Union of Students (NUS), more than one in three survey respondents had experienced unwanted sexual contact.
• Students reported significant impact on self-confidence, mental health, studies and social life as a result of experiencing sexual violence.
• Common reasons for not disclosing were believing that no action would be taken, perceiving the issue as not sufficiently serious, not knowing who to tell, or fearing they would themselves be blamed.