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Clarissa J. Humphreys
Graham J. Towl

Addressing Student Sexual Violence in Higher Education

ISBN: 978-1-83867-141-9, eISBN: 978-1-83867-138-9

Publication date: 1 May 2020

pdf (140 KB) ePub (3.2 MB) Article view Figure view Cited (6) cite article

Citation

Humphreys, C.J. and Towl, G.J. (2020), "Resources", Addressing Student Sexual Violence in Higher Education, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 187-205. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83867-138-920201011

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © Clarissa J. Humphreys and Graham J. Towl, 2020. Published under exclusive licence by Emerald Publishing Limited

Resource 1: Key Resources for Survivors and Professionals

Rape, Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment

  • Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)

  • Rape Crisis England and Wales

    • Network of independent Rape Crisis Centres that provide frontline specialist, independent and confidential services to women and girls of all ages who are subjected to any form of sexual violence. To find a local rape crisis centre:

    • rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/find-a-rape-crisis-centre

  • Rape Crisis Scotland

    • National office for the rape crisis movement, supporting local rape crisis centres and leading on awareness raising through campaigns, briefings and publications.

    • rapecrisisscotland.org.uk | National Helpline: 08088 010302

  • The Survivors Trust

    • Offers resources and links to services, as well as guidance for those supporting survivors.

    • thesurvivorstrust.org

  • National Ugly Mugs

    • National organisation offering access to justice and protection for sex workers

    • uglymugs.org | 0161 629 9861

  • Rights of Women

    • Provides confidential legal advice and information to women and offers training and resources for professionals.

    • rightsofwomen.org.uk | Sexual Harassment at Work Advice Line: 020 7490 0152
Image-based Sexual Abuse
Stalking

  • National Stalking Helpline

    • Offers information, advice and guidance to individuals subjected to stalking.

    • suzylamplugh.org | 0808 802 0300

  • Paladin – National Stalking Advocacy Service

    • A trauma-informed service supporting victims of stalking in England and Wales through Independent Stalking Advocacy Caseworkers.

    • paladinservice.co.uk | 020 3866 4107
Domestic Abuse

  • National Domestic Violence Helpline

  • Women's Aid

    • National charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children, offering help to victim-survivors and resources to professionals.

    • womensaid.org.uk

  • Scottish Women's Aid

    • National charity working to prevent domestic abuse. To find a local women's aid group:

    • womensaid.scot/find-nearest-wa-group |

    • Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline: 0800 027 1234

  • Refuge

    • Offers support to women subjected to different forms of gender-based violence, including access to a refuge or ‘safe house’ for women and children escaping domestic abuse.

    • refuge.org.uk | 0808 2000 247
Culturally Specific Services

  • Ashiana Network

    • Refuge, counselling and advice for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) women and girls (14+) who have experienced domestic abuse.

    • ashiana.org.uk

  • Imkaan

    • Resources and information for victim-survivors and professionals regarding BME women subjected to gender-based violence; does not provide direct services.

    • imkaan.org.uk

  • Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation

    • Offers advice to women subjected to ‘honour’-based violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, domestic abuse in Farsi, Kurdish, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Turkish and English

    • ikwro.org.uk | 0207 920 6460

  • Jewish Women's Aid

    • Offers support to Jewish women and girls subjected to domestic abuse and sexual violence.

    • jwa.org.uk | Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 801 0500 | Sexual Violence Support Line: 0808 801 0656

  • Karma Nirvana

    • Offers support to victim-survivors of ‘honour’-based abuse and forced marriage and offers training to professionals working with victim-survivors.

    • karmanirvana.org.uk | 0800 5999 247

  • Latin American Women's Aid

    • Offers support and advice to Latin American and other Black and Minority Ethnic women (including trans women) subjected to gender-based violence in Spanish, Portuguese and English.

    • lawadv.org.uk | 020 727 50321

  • Muslim Women's Network Helpline

    • Specialist faith and culturally sensitive helpline offering information, support and guidance for those suffering from, or at risk of, abuse.

    • mwnuk.co.uk | 0800 999 5786

  • Southall Black Sisters

    • Offers information, advice, advocacy and practical help to Black (Asian and African-Caribbean) women subjected to gender-based violence in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati and Urdu and can arrange interpretation in Somali and other languages. Guidance for professionals also available.

    • southallblacksisters.org.uk | Help Line: 0208 571 0800
Services for LGBT+ People
Services for Men

  • SurvivorsUK

  • Men's Advice Line

  • National Male Survivor Helpline

  • ManKind Initiative

    • Confidential helpline offering advice and support to all men in the UK subjected to domestic abuse.

    • mankind.org.uk | 01823 3344244
Services for Individuals with Disabilities

  • Respond

    • National charity working with people with learning disabilities subjected to abuse or violence which offers a range of evidence-based trauma-informed services for children, young people, adults and professionals.

    • respond.org.uk

  • DeafHope, from SignHealth

Resources for Professionals

  • End Violence Against Women International, USA

    • A professional training organisation offering online training, conferences, webinars, training bulletins and a resource library for professionals.

    • evawintl.org

  • The 1752 Group, UK

    • A UK-based research and lobby organisation aimed at ending staff sexual misconduct in Higher Education, publishing research in this area and building research-informed ways forward.

    • 1752group.com

  • VictimFocus, UK

    • Resources and training for professionals, including e-learning courses and access to research.

    • victimfocus.org.uk

  • Campus Advocacy & Prevention Professionals Association (CAPPA), USA

    • Professional association for campus-based advocates and specialists working in gender-based violence to share best practice, expertise and access support. Membership is free.

    • nationalcappa.org

  • USVreact: Universities supporting victims of sexual violence, UK

    • A research project, led by Brunel University London, across six European countries aimed at developing disclosure response training for staff. Access to training resources and other publications are available on the project website.

    • usvreact.eu

  • Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA), USA

    • Professional association for Title IX Coordinators, administrators and investigators offering training and resources to professionals.

    • atixa.org

  • End Violence Against Women, UK

    • Coalition of specialist support services, researchers, activists and survivors working to end violence against women and girls through targeted campaigning and lobbying of government.

    • endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk

  • Centre for Research into Violence and Abuse (CRiVA), Durham University, UK

    • A community of researchers with strong links to policy and practice focused on improving knowledge about and responses to interpersonal violence and abuse. Membership is open to those interested in violence and abuse research.

    • dur.ac.uk/criva

  • Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence, Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin, USA

    • A multi-disciplinary research institute focused on campus sexual assault and misconduct, domestic violence and interpersonal violence; human trafficking; and, sexual assault advancing knowledge through research, education, and service in multi-disciplinary, strategic partnerships with researchers, educators, practitioners, policy makers, and other community members.

    • sites.utexas.edu/idvsa

  • Campus PRISM: Promoting Restorative Initiatives for Sexual Misconduct on College Campuses, University of San Diego, USA

  • Culture of Respect: Ending Campus Sexual Violence, NASPA, USA

    • Offers tools, videos and a matrix of evidence-informed programmes aimed at ending sexual violence.

    • cultureofrespect.org

  • Faculty Against Rape, USA

    • Voluntary collective offering resources for faculty to support survivors, help in reform efforts on campus and address retaliation for fighting sexual violence on campus.

    • facultyagainstrape.net

  • It's On Us, USA

    • A prevention education campaigning programme launched by President Obama and Vice President Biden aimed at engaging young men and changing campus culture to combat college sexual violence.

    • itsonus.org

  • CultureShift, UK

    • A company offering digital solutions to create positive culture change. Creators of the Report + Support online platform designed to provide named and anonymous reporting options and signposting to support for sexual violence, harassment and bullying.

    • Culture-shift.co.uk

Resource 2: Trend Monitoring and Statistical Reporting Guide

Disclosure Rates

  • Number of disclosures made to staff and through online tools. This can include any incidents that have occurred since the student (or employee) joined the institution regardless of the affiliation the perpetrator has with the institution to capture sexual violence impacting members of the community.

  • Number of anonymous disclosures

  • Types of sexual violence disclosed, i.e. rape/attempted rape, assault by penetration, sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking/cyber-stalking, image-based sexual abuse, sexual harassment, indecent exposure, domestic abuse, group misconduct. (N.B., You may wish to include policy definitions here, but for shorthand we are using criminal justice terms as an example.)
Reporting Party Characteristics (If Known)

  • Gender

  • Affiliation to institution, i.e. student (indicating year and department), staff (type and department), visitor, other

  • Additional characteristics may be recorded, e.g. race, sexual orientation, known disability, home or international student
Responding Party Characteristics (If Known)

  • Gender

  • Affiliation to institution, i.e. student (indicating year and department), staff (type and department), visitor, other

  • Relationship to the Reporting Party, e.g. peer, ex/partner, friend, stranger, lecturer

  • Additional characteristics may be recorded, e.g. race, sexual orientation, known disability, home or international student
Reporting Rates

  • Number of named reports to the institution, may categorise as student v. student, student v. staff, staff v. staff, staff v. student

  • Number of anonymous reports to the institution (if different from anonymous disclosures)

  • Number of reports to the police, include criminal justice outcomes if known, e.g. guilty, not guilty, no further action, etc.

  • Types of sexual violence reported (same as above)
University Action (If Applicable)

  • Precautionary measure/s implemented, e.g. no contact arrangement, partial suspension, full suspension

  • Number of investigations conducted

  • Average length of time for investigations

  • Outcome of investigation, i.e. further action or no further action

  • Disciplinary outcome, e.g. sanctions imposed, alternatives to sanctions

  • Number of appeals

  • Appeal outcomes

Resource 3: No Contact Order Template 1

DATE

NAME
ADDRESS


Dear NAME,

As an outcome of PROCEDURE THAT RESULTED IN AN NCO, you are prohibited from contacting NAME/S. This No Contact Order takes immediate effect and stipulates that:

  • you will not make any direct or indirect contact of any kind with NAME/S or request that others make or attempt to make contact with him/her/them on your behalf. The following is a non-exhaustive list of examples of contact which is prohibited:

    • face-to-face contact; phone calls; voicemails; text messages; emails; letters; social media posts or messages; hanging around the accommodation/work/study environments of the above-named individual/s.

  • (optional) you are not permitted to enter or visit LOCATION/DEPARTMENT. Should there be an exceptional reason why you may need to do so (e.g. an academic/work commitment) you must contact STAFF CONTACT well in advance to discuss if alternative arrangements can be made.

  • In the event of chance encounters on or off campus, you should not address, acknowledge or in any other way attempt to engage with him/her/them. If a chance encounter occurs, it is recommended that you take appropriate steps to leave the area where the contact occurs as quickly as reasonably possible.

The No Contact Order will remain in place while you and NAME/S are members of the university community or if the PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ISSUING NCO determines that the Order is no longer required and this is communicated to both parties in writing.

If the university receives information that you have breached this Order and this is confirmed, EXPLAIN CONSEQUENCES OF BREACHING NCO.
You may appeal this decision by EXPLAIN HOW TO APPEAL AND WHO TO CONTACT.

I take this time to remind you of the support you may access through the university LINK.

Please acknowledge receipt of my letter no later than DATE.

Yours sincerely,


Signed

cc: Student File

Resource 4: Disclosure Recording Form Template 2

2

Based on a version originally drafted by Humphreys, C. J. for Durham University in 2017 and subsequently updated for this version.

Resource 5: Rape and Sexual Offences: Societal Myths

Myth Implications Facts

  1. Rape is committed by strangers in dark alleys

  • Implies that home is safe; that rape can be prevented by avoiding certain places and therefore blames the victim;

  • Assumes a particular victim profile;

  • Entrenches racial and class prejudices.

  • The majority of rapes are committed by persons known to the victim-survivor.

  • Date or acquaintance rape is very common.

  • Victim-survivors are often raped in their homes.

  1. Women provoke rape by the way they dress or act

  • Attempts to excuse rape;

  • Assumes that a woman who draws attention is looking for sex or ‘deserves what she gets’;

  • Re-victimises, blames and stigmatises the victim.

  • Consent cannot be implied from flirtatious behaviour or from the way a person dresses.

  • Only the rapist is responsible for the rape!

  1. Women who drink alcohol or use drugs are asking to be raped

  • Attempts to excuse rape and ‘blame the victim’;

  • Re-victimises and stigmatises the victim.

  • Women have the same right to consume alcohol as men.

  • Being vulnerable does not imply consent.

  • If a woman is unable to give consent because she is drunk, drugged or unconscious, it is rape.

  • Only the rapist is responsible for the rape!

  1. Rape is a crime of passion

  • Assumes that:

    • rape is impulsive and unplanned;

    • men are incapable of delaying gratification or controlling sexual urges;

    • rape is about uncontrollable lust; and only ‘attractive’ women are raped.

  • Disregards elements of power, aggression, violence, control and humiliation in rape;

  • Attempts to excuse, minimise and romanticise rape;

  • Attempts to remove the responsibility for the rape from the rapist.

  • Research and evidence from rapists themselves suggests that most rapes are premeditated and planned.

  • Many rapists fail to get an erection or ejaculate.

  • Interviews with rapists reveal that they rape to feel powerful and in control, not for sexual pleasure.

  • There is no typical victim of rape. Girls and boys and women and men of all ages can be victims.

  • Many rapists are involved in sexually satisfying relationships with their partners at the time of the rape.

  1. If she didn't scream, fight or get injured, it wasn't rape

  • Disbelieves and re-traumatises the victim;

  • Invalidates the experience of the victim;

  • Discourages him or her from seeking help.

  • Victims in rape situations are often legitimately afraid of being killed or seriously injured and so co-operate with the rapist to save their lives.

  • The victim's perception of threat influences their behaviour.

  • Rapists use many manipulative techniques to intimidate and coerce their victims.

  • Victims in a rape situation often become physically paralysed with terror or shock and are unable to move or fight.

  • Non-consensual intercourse doesn't always leave visible signs on the body or the genitals.

  1. You can tell if she's ‘really’ been raped by how she acts

  • Disbelieves and re-traumatises the victim;

  • Invalidates the victim's experience and individuality;

  • Discourages him or her from seeking help.

  • Reactions to rape are highly varied and individual.

  • Many women experience a form of shock after a rape that leaves them emotionally numb or flat and apparently calm.

  1. Women cry rape when they regret having sex or want revenge

  • Reinforces stereotypes of the ‘vindictive woman’;

  • Reinforces stereotypes of women as untruthful;

  • Re-victimises and stigmatises the victim;

  • Undermines her support for seeking justice

  • Between January 2011 and May 2012, the Director of Public Prosecutions required the Crown Prosecution Service areas to refer to him all cases involving an allegedly false allegation of rape and/or domestic violence. During that time, there were 5,651 prosecutions for rape but only 35 for making false allegations of rape.

  1. Only gay men get raped/only gay men rape men

  • Reinforces homophobic fears and prejudices;

  • Creates the illusion of the safety for straight men;

  • Re-traumatises and stigmatises male survivors;

  • Results in very few reported rapes on men.

  • Men of all sexual orientations get raped.

  • Men who rape other men are often heterosexual – they usually have a relationship with a woman.

  • Rapists rape other men as part of their violence and need for power, dominance and control.

  1. Prostitutes cannot be raped

  • Further disempowers sex workers;

  • Provides an excuse for abuse

  • Sex workers have the same rights with regards to consent as anyone else: the transactions they negotiate with clients are for consensual activities, not rape.

  1. If the victim didn't complain immediately it wasn't rape

  • Disbelieves and re-traumatises the victim;

  • Invalidates the experience of the victim;

  • Discourages him or her from seeking help.

  • The trauma of rape can cause feelings of shame and guilt which might inhibit a victim from making a complaint. This fact was recognised by the Court of Appeal in R v D (JA) 24 October 2008, where it was held that judges are entitled to direct juries that due to shame and shock, victims of rape might not complain for some time, and that a late complaint does not necessarily mean that it’s a false complaint.

Source: Reproduced with permission under the Open Government Licence v2.0 (CPS, 2019a).

Resource 6: Investigation Report Template

Investigation Report
Strictly Private and Confidential
Introductory statement to include who authorised the investigation, identity of investigator/s and policy under which the investigation was conducted.

  1. Procedural History

  1. 1.1

    Include:

    • Date of formal report to the institution

    • Date of the reported incident/s

    • Date on which investigator/s were assigned and investigation commenced

    • Date when Responding Party was informed

    • Date when the investigation was completed

    • Any other relevant procedural information

  1. Participants and Investigation Timeline

  1. 2.1

    Include:

    • Reporting Party name and interview date; note who accompanied them if applicable

    • Responding Party name and interview date; note who accompanied them if applicable

    • Witness 1: name, date contacted, date received statement and interview date

    • Witness 2: name, date contacted, date received statement and interview date

    • Note any witnesses that could not be interviewed and why

  1. Scope of Investigation

  1. 3.1

    Include:

    • What misconduct was reported and connect this to policy definitions

    • Any subsequent misconduct reported after the initial report was made, i.e. a breach of a No Contact Arrangement and/or retaliation

    • Anything submitted which was outside the scope of the investigation and therefore was not considered as part of the investigation and why

  1. Standard of Proof

  1. 4.1

    Include:

    • Statement explaining the civil standard of proof, e.g. To determine whether an individual has breached the (relevant policy), the standard of proof required is the balance of probabilities, i.e. the evidence must demonstrate that it is more likely than not that the misconduct occurred.

  1. Commentary

  1. 5.1

    Include:

    • List all evidence collected

    • List all evidence that could not be collected and why

    • Summarise the evidence presented by all parties

  1. Credibility Assessment

  1. 6.1

    Include

    • Assessment of validity, reliability and integrity of the Reporting Party, Responding Party, witness/es, evidence and any relevant information

  1. Findings of Fact and Analysis

  1. 7.1

    Include:

    • State policy definition for misconduct and apply the facts based on evidence related to the policy, weighing evidence and incorporating the credibility assessment

    • Detail the facts that were established during the investigation

    • Detail any areas that were inconclusive or could not be established

    • Note this section may highlight if certain parts of the report are founded or not

  1. Conclusion

  1. 8.1

    Include:

    • Recommendation for further disciplinary action or no action required

    • Any additional recommendations as permitted by the relevant policy
Investigator/s' signature/s:
Date:

1

Based on a version originally drafted by Humphreys, C. J. for Durham University in 2016 and subsequently updated for this version (Victim Rights Law Centre, 2014; Sokolow et al., 2015).

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