‘What happens in university, stays in university’. A phrase that has been adapted to various contexts, but its relevance is disturbingly accurate regarding student safety. Alarmingly, 90 percent of students who experienced sexual assault in university did not report the incident to the police, according to findings by Harvard Magazine and the Office for Students.
Harassment, whether it's unwanted touching, street catcalling or sexual comments, creates an environment of intimidation and humiliation for targeted individuals. Despite the academic and social support universities provide, students - particularly women and non-binary individuals - remain vulnerable. The Office for Students in the UK found that 20 percent of students reported experiencing unwanted sexual behaviour, with women being more than twice as likely to report harassment than men (27 percent compared to 12 percent).
“75 percent of prospective students said ‘safety and a welcoming place’ for international students is one of their top five most important factors when choosing a town or city to study in."
Annie, a student from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, shared her harrowing experience in the 2015 documentary The Hunting Ground. She recounted that before classes even started, she and her friend was sexually assaulted. The university administrator’s response to her was shocking, comparing rape to a football game and suggesting she consider what she could have done differently.
This crime seems to be a playing field in which victim-blaming thrives and has a silencing effect on survivors. It was reported that many students choose not to report incidents due to a lack of confidence in the support systems, with only 12 percent of those experiencing harassment formally reporting it to their universities Office for Students, underscoring the need for greater awareness and proactive measures. Around the world, students are speaking up on these issues and are even taking matters into their own hands. While institutions are finding themselves having to balance facilitating if it’s worth protecting the brand of the university or ensuring safety and security first.
This calls into question the efficacy of university policies on sexual misconduct. Are current measures robust enough? Are universities doing enough to prevent these incidents from occurring, or are they merely reacting after the fact?
Cry for help
Strut Safe was founded by five Edinburgh University students in the wake of the horrific murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa. Starting out in the capital city, it soon expanded UK-wide, offering a helpline that people can phone when they are walking home.
The rise in public rhetoric that targets people of marginalised genders – including women, non-binary people, trans people and intersex people – corresponds with a reported rise in feelings of insecurity while walking alone at night, Strut Safe data shows.
“Our call numbers usually go up after the clocks go back in the autumn, when the sun goes down earlier, and students are coming home in the dark,” Strut Safe’s Director of Communications Rho Chung tells QS Insights Magazine.
When thinking about what factors are commonly responsible, “Time of day/night, street lighting and identity have all been shown to factor into the decision to change one's behaviour to feel safer.”
Not only do we need institutions to be aware of these factors, but they should also be working more thoroughly with transport professionals, urban planners, decision-makers and law enforcers, which all have an essential role to play in influencing societal change.
According to the QS International Student Survey 2024, 75 percent of prospective students said ‘safety and a welcoming place’ for international students is one of their top five most important factors when choosing a town or city to study in. Notably, this was a more popular choice among female respondents (80 percent) than their male counterparts (72 percent).
Additionally, 49 percent of prospective female students identified 'safety' as one of their main concerns when studying abroad, surpassing the 42 percent response from male students.
These findings highlight the critical need for students to feel exceptionally safe when entering new territories, particularly among female students, who share this global concern. Universities must swiftly develop a comprehensive understanding of the factors that impact and influence safety and recognise when these concerns are most likely to arise.
Effective measures might be simpler than expected. Chung notes that most callers, often in transit, are just seeking a “friendly chat.” For those with additional needs, trained volunteers can recommend alternative or more suitable services. “If calling us helps someone feel safer, then Strut Safe has done its job.”
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QS Insights Magazine.
