Sexual Harassment In Higher Education

Over the last few decades, research, activity, and funding has been devoted to improving the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine. In recent years the diversity of those participating in these fields, particularly the participation of women, has improved and there are significantly more women entering careers and studying science, engineering, and medicine than ever before. However, as women increasingly enter these fields they face biases and barriers and it is not surprising that sexual harassment is one of these barriers. Over thirty years the incidence of sexual harassment in different industries has held steady, yet now more women are in the workforce and in academia, and in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine (as students and faculty) and so more women are experiencing sexual harassment as they work and learn. Over the last several years, revelations of the sexual harassment experienced by women in the workplace and in academic settings have raised urgent questions about the specific impact of this discriminatory behavior on women and the extent to which it is limiting their careers. Sexual Harassment of Women explores the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce. This report reviews the research on the extent to which women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine are victimized by sexual harassment and examines the existing information on the extent to which sexual harassment in academia negatively impacts the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women pursuing scientific, engineering, technical, and medical careers. It also identifies and analyzes the policies, strategies and practices that have been the most successful in preventing and addressing sexual harassment in these settings.

First Published in 1998. In 1984, Billie Dziech co-wrote The Lecherous Professor, one of the first books to articulate the problem of sexual harassment on college campuses. Since that time a number of books exploring the issues, cases, and laws have moved the topic into the public eye. This work, the brainchild of a lawyer and an academic, reflects on some of the more controversial and overlooked aspects of sexual harassment and its litigation and law. Chapters cover the legal and regulatory evolution of the issue and its context in higher education at the end of the 20th century; the importance of having colleges approach policy making and harassment by analyzing their own environment; an examination of the treatment of women experiencing harassment, with special focus on women who appear unscathed by it; the situation of the male on campus and the problem of non-meritorious cases; the most familiar myths of consensual relationships and the role of bans in dealing with them; and the contention that the sexual harassment issue has exposed higher education's excesses and contradictions.

Originally published in 1998, Sexual Harassment in Higher Education addresses the problem of sexual harassment on college campuses. This work reflects on a variety of aspects of sexual harassment, its litigation and law, as well as how the issues they demonstrate often have as much to do with linguistics or jurisprudence as with negative action, though there is a great deal of evidence of the latter. The book provides a clear-eyed and detailed assessment of the 'harassment' controversies now plaguing America's universities and colleges.

"In this practical guide for higher education professionals who work in student affairs, the authors lay out a community-based model aimed at eliminating sexual misconduct of all kinds on college campuses"--

At least one in four women attending college or university will be sexually assaulted by the time they graduate. Beyond this staggering statistic, recent media coverage of “rape chants” at Saint Mary’s University, misogynistic Facebook posts from Dalhousie University’s dental school, and high-profile incidents of sexual violence at other Canadian universities point to a widespread culture of rape on university campuses and reveal universities’ failure to address sexual violence. As university administrations are called to task for their cover-ups and misguided responses, a national conversation has opened about the need to address this pressing social problem. This book takes up the topic of sexual violence on campus and explores its causes and consequences as well as strategies for its elimination. Drawing together original case studies, empirical research, and theoretical writing from scholars and community and campus activists, this interdisciplinary collection charts the costs of campus sexual violence on students and university communities, the efficacy of existing university sexual assault policies and institutional responses, and historical and contemporary forms of activism associated with campus sexual violence.

Responding to increasing concerns about the harmful effects of so-called ‘lad culture’ in British universities, and related ‘bro’ and ‘frat’ cultures in US colleges, this book is the first to explore and analyse the perspectives of university staff on these cultures, which students suggest foster the normalisation of sexism, homophobia, racism, sexual harassment and violence. Drawing on in-depth interviews with a broad range of staff and faculty across different types of universities in England, the book explores the following key questions: What is lad culture? How and where is it manifest in higher education and what are the effects on students and staff? How can ‘laddish’ behaviour be explained? How can we theorise lad culture to enable us to better understand and challenge it? How do dynamics in the United Kingdom compare to so-called ‘bro’ and ‘frat’ cultures in US colleges? By examining the ways in which lad culture is understood and explained, the authors illustrate that current understandings of lad culture obscure the broader processes through which problematic attitudes, practices, and educational climates are fostered. This analysis enables a theorisation of lad culture that makes visible the gendered norms and intersecting structural inequalities that underpin it. This timely and accessible volume will be of great interest to anyone looking to understand and tackle sexism, sexual harassment and violence in and beyond university contexts. It will be of particular significance to researchers, undergraduate and postgraduate students, academics, and policy makers in the fields of gender and sexuality in education, higher education, and sociology of education.

Sexual violence is a problem well beyond universities, however universities are uniquely well placed to contribute to reducing sexual violence, encouraging those affected to come forward and speak about their experiences and actively encourage increased reporting. This book is unique, in that it offers an international perspective on the incidence, reporting and impact of sexual violence at universities. Drawing on evidence from the UK, North America, Australia and Europe, Towl and Walker explore the psychological and structural challenges to reporting sexual violence. They provide a set of policy and practice guidance recommendations that move beyond awareness campaigns to call for systems to be put in place whereby reports of sexual assault are handled promptly, fairly and consistently. They also discuss how universities can strengthen their approach to prevention, promoting safeguarding and the welfare of victims and survivors, and involving victims and survivors in the development and improvement of services. However, fundamental to their approach is keeping decision making with the victim and survivor, and emphasising that their health and recovery is paramount. Tackling Sexual Violence at Universities is an invaluable and ground-breaking resource for students and researchers in forensic psychology and criminology, as well as professionals working in higher education.