Sexism in University, College & Online

For the majority of students, university is the first time they leave home, and it is an important chance for individuals to shape their identities and futures. The university campus should be a safe and encouraging space for everyone to do so.

Sexism is the prejudice or discrimination against somebody’s sex or gender, and unfortunately is commonly found in the academic environment. You probably don't need to spend long on a university campus to encounter ‘lad culture’, and this behaviour is more than harmless fun or banter.

The effects of this culture are beginning to be understood through accounts particularly, but not exclusively, from female students. In all cases they reveal the negative impact and harm that lad culture can have on an individual’s education and university life. The recent reports and surveys cited below report distressing student experiences.

According to research conducted by the National Union of Students (NUS) in October 2015:

●     17% of respondents from the survey expressed that they had been victims of some sort of sexual harassment during their first week of university

●     29% had seen sexual harassment directed at someone else within the first week

●     59% of incidents occurred at social events or nightclubs, and a further 33% in halls

●     61% claimed they were not made aware of any codes of conduct implemented by their university

●     66% were unaware of the procedure to report these incidents and 12% felt they wouldn’t be taken seriously if they did

In January 2015, a survey by the Telegraph newspaper found that:

●     1 in 3 female students in the UK have endured a sexual assault or unwanted advances at university

●     1 in 8 male students have been subjected to groping or unwanted sexual advances

●     43% of women and 60% of men did not report or tell anyone about their ordeal

A report in the Guardian newspaper in May 2015 highlighted that:

●     Some universities do not systematically record allegations of rapes, sexual assaults and sexual harassment

●     Unlike US universities, institutions in the UK do not have a legal duty to record sexual violence, or any crime reported by students

●     A large number of universities do not have specific guidelines for students on how to report such allegations in confidence or as a formal complaint to the institution or the police

Graphic tales of highly sexualised alcohol-fuelled nights out which begin in Freshers’ week seem to set the tone for an educational experience which, far from empowering students, can leave some feeling unhappy and unsafe. The worry is that the unchecked growth of lad culture will damage Higher Education’s mission to create safe, positive environments in which all students can flourish.

Sexism can also be found online

Online harassment and internet trolls were uncovered in NUS studies. There have been trends on social media with so-called ‘spotted’ or ‘confessions’ pages at many universities. Photographs are taken of people unaware in the library or elsewhere on campus, with their pictures widely shared, rated, and commented on ‒ regularly in a misogynistic manner.

One woman complained about the Facebook ‘Uni Lad’ group, saying that it “regularly posts demeaning things about women and rape jokes, which I and my fellow female students find appalling. I have seen many male university friends have ‘liked’ the page.”

It has even been reported that female students’ rooms have been entered at night, duvets torn off and photographs taken and circulated.