Theoretical Insights into Gender and Sexual Violence for University Students in the UK; Playing it Safe to Stay Safe.

Bovill, Helen

Abstract

Whilst US universities can be seen to lead in researching sexual violence on campus, UK response from 2010 has followed. Mixed method studies emerged highlighting prevalence of sexual violence mirroring national and international trends. Though this likely masks the true picture, what remains unclear is how to understand the complexities of sexual violence on campus.
This paper considers impacts of sexual violence upon female students. It uncovers trends toward a loss of female agency where women are ‘protected from men by men’. Other findings highlight tendencies for some forms of sexual violence to be ‘misrecognised’ as gender neutral, e.g. ‘unwanted groping’. This could be backlash to ‘victimisation’ or a desire to tone down overly militant responses to sexual violence, once again constructing women as passive in the academy; further understanding is needed. As some funding streams diminish, what is the future of research in this area?

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Start Date: Dec 3, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jul 22, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 3, 2020
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1640420