About the project

Recent research demonstrates that gender-based violence (GBV) in university communities is a significant problem, causing harm and exacerbating inequalities. University policies are a crucial aspect of addressing GBV and can improve victims/survivors’ experiences and signal universities’ intolerance of GBV.

However, despite calls for examination, there is no comprehensive review of UK university GBV policies, nor adequate advice for institutions on creating/improving them. This timely research addresses this gap by analysing existing GBV policies in 129 UK universities to map how robust policies are across the sector, and identifies best practice and common missteps.

Our aim is to enhance understandings of GBV policy in universities and develop recommendations to guide practitioners in constructing effective policies. The research will primarily benefit student communities, HE institutions seeking to address widening participation/access/equalities issues and policy-makers working on this issue.

Our research also contributes to conceptual debates on gender and violence including GBV in academia, and on policy analysis. 

The project was funded by the College of Social Science Research Fund at the University of Lincoln.