Tuesday 16-01-2018 - 13:10

National charity Revolt Sexual Assault has established a national student sexual assault survey – the first of its kind in the UK for a decade, generating insights on the prevalence of sexual violence experienced by students, as well as reporting rates and accessibility of support services.

The charity’s founder, Hannah Price, explains the need to gather this information:

‘While at university, I, and many of my friends, were sexually assaulted on a regular basis. It had become so normalised that we had stopped talking about it. Reporting the incidences to the university or the police felt impossible when the perpetrator was another student who you would run into all the time. It was very apparent that there wasn’t the specialist support or policy in place for students to feel able to seek the help they needed, and maintain the student experience that they were entitled to.’

Revolt Sexual Assault’s campaign has included gathering anonymous testimonials via Snapchat. Students are able to speak out about their experiences of sexual assault and harrassment, while remaining anonymous through filters, facial and voice obscuration. Many have found the experience of speaking out anonymously and on their own terms incredibly empowering.

Professor Graham Towl, formerly PVC Chair of the Sexual Violence Task Force at Durham University, explains the importance of the survey:

'It is heartening that the HE sector is increasingly taking the lead in tackling sexual violence and misconduct. There is still much to be done. This important survey can potentially significantly contribute to our knowledge of prevalence rates and also inform our understanding about the effectiveness (or otherwise) of our work in this challenging area. Together we can make a real difference in supporting victims, survivors and contributing to prevention too.'

The deadline for the survey has been extended to 16 February. If you have ten minutes to spare for this important cause, click here.