Examining institutional responses to power-based sexual misconduct: Higher education after #MeToo

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Over the last year, the #MeToo movement has led to worldwide attention towards the issue of how institutions should tackle sexual harassment. Sexual harassment, or in the terminology used in this research, sexual misconduct, is both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality, and leads to severe and ongoing impacts not only for those who experience it but also for those around them. This study will document and assess ongoing interventions into how to address this issue in one influential site: higher education. It will focus on sexual misconduct by staff in higher education (HE) in England, the US, and Australia, in order to contribute to revised, innovative models of how institutions within and outside academia should tackle this issue. In order to do this, the PI will draw on her innovative work in this area as director of The 1752 Group, a research and lobby group that addresses staff sexual misconduct in HE. Her previous work on this topic has been at the forefront of a new wave of research in this area that has already been impactful in the UK HE sector. This previous research has involved mapping and describing the problem of staff sexual misconduct in HE, and this new project will build on the expertise gained through this previous research and her ongoing work with the HE sector to focus on solutions to this issue and to expand her research to two further sites, Australia and the US, examining what institutions are doing to address staff sexual misconduct and exploring new approaches. This will be carried out through an international multi-sited qualitative study that will make a major contribution to institutional reforms currently underway within and outside academia. The research involves four strands. First, the PI will carry out a literature review within two research areas that can shed light on mechanisms to address sexual misconduct in HE: child sexual abuse in institutional settings, and workplace sexual harassment. Second, documentary analysis and interviews with key stakeholders in six institutions in the US and Australia where innovative practice is being carried out will illuminate how HE institutions in the UK can improve their responses to this issue. Third, working with four case study institutions in England where there is a heightened risk of staff sexual misconduct (research intensive and performing arts institutions), focus groups will be carried out to explore students' - including, crucially, sexual violence survivors' - experiences of institutional processes and professional boundaries with staff in higher education. Fourth, within the English case study institutions, documentary analysis and interviews with key stakeholders will identify particular issues or gaps in ongoing work that need to be addressed and these will be critically evaluated drawing on the PI's previous research in this area. These findings will contribute to the development of a national framework for addressing staff sexual misconduct in HE in the UK. The PI is well connected with sector bodies, institutions, and international partners in this area, and these connections, as well as the timeliness of the research will help to ensure that this research also has a high impact. This impact will be carried out through building relationships with the four case study institutions; through running knowledge-sharing events and an international conference; and through publishing a trouble-shooting toolkit, among other activities. Academic publications will be submitted to leading higher education, gender and sociology journals. Overall, this research will lead to higher education institutions implementing more ambitious, innovative, and evidence-based prevention strategies; to increased reporting rates for staff sexual misconduct; and to greater institutional preparedness for dealing with reports. This will ultimately make these institutions safer and more equal places to work and study.