Universities in England are adapting to new regulations set to come into force in the second half of the year to prevent and respond to cases of harassment and violence against students. According to rules established by the Office for Students (OfS), an independent body that regulates higher education in the country, institutions must publish their policies and procedures for receiving complaints, supporting victims and keeping them informed about the progress of investigations, and reinforcing anti-harassment training programs. They were also encouraged to prohibit romantic relationships between students and faculty or staff, but not all have implemented such restrictions.
According to Times Higher Education (THE), five institutions, including the University of Manchester, are working on a pilot program that has created a framework for prevention, intervention, and support in situations of sexual violence. Meanwhile, the London School of Economics and Political Science has introduced online training on harassment for all staff and redesigned its consent education program, which is mandatory for new students. Some universities have complained about difficulties adapting to the rules. Bridget Steele, a researcher at the University of Oxford, called the regulation “groundbreaking” but warned that budget constraints could compromise the quality of the services. “How can we expect universities to invest the time necessary to do an even better job at responding to sexual misconduct if they don’t have any additional funds?” she asked, according to THE.
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