One in seven female students victim of sexual or violent assault
One in seven female students victim of sexual or violent assault
Thursday, 18, Mar 2010 12:20
By Richard James.
One in seven female students has been the victim of serious sexual assault or physical violence while at university, a new survey has discovered.
The research carried out by the National Union of Students (NUS) found of the 2,000-plus women students questioned, one in four had been subjected to an unwanted sexual experience while at university or college.
Twelve per cent also claimed they had been stalked while in higher education; and in 60 per cent of the case of sexual assault or stalking, the perpetrator had also been a student.
Commenting on the results, NUS women's officer, Olivia Bailey, said: "It is extremely disturbing that so many women students are assaulted and harassed while at university or college, and it is particularly worrying that the perpetrators in many of these cases are fellow students.
"Women students can be left feeling like they are to blame for the violence committed against them. Clearly, not enough is being done to encourage women students to report all instances of assault or harassment to their institutions or to the police.
"This report is a wake-up call. Universities and colleges must work more closely with local police, victim support services and health services in order to give victims the security and confidence to come forward. Institutions must also deal with all reported instances of assault or harassment with the utmost seriousness, so that no students are left in any doubt that such behaviour will not be tolerated."
The NUS survey published today also found that only four per cent of female students who had been seriously assaulted reported it to their institution and only ten per cent reported it to the police.
Of those who did not report serious sexual assault to the police, 50 per said they felt ashamed or embarrassed and 43 per cent said they thought they would be blamed for what happened
Sandra Horley, CEO of national domestic violence charity Refuge, said: "I am deeply saddened to hear that so many women students are experiencing violence and harassment during the course of their studies, and that so very few feel able to report the crimes against them.
"It is vital that universities create an environment where women feel confident to speak out against abuse. Women students need to know where they can seek help, and must feel sure that their reports will be taken seriously. Women have the right to enjoy university life, focus on their studies and plan for their futures, without fear of intimidation of violence."