Scientific Articles

Mdletshe, L. C., & Makhaye, M. S. (2025). Suffering in Silence: Reasons Why Victims of Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education Institutions Choose Not to Report Their Victimization. Social Sciences, 14(6), 336. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci14060336

Richards, T. N., Branscum, C. C., Goldsmith, M., & Ali, A. (2024). Examining Institutional-Level Factors and Campus Climate on Sexual Misconduct Reporting to Title IX Coordinators and in Annual Security Reports. Victims & Offenders, 19(7), 1301–1319. https://doi.org/10.1080/15564886.2024.2351008

Serradell, O., and Puigvert, L. (2025). Overcoming sexual harassment at university: The case of the training intervention in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Behavioral Sciences, 15(5), Article 596. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15050596

Explanation of the Post

Research shows that many universities are still falling short when it comes to protecting victims of sexual misconduct. In the UK, only one in four people who reported a complaint felt that their university had taken real steps to prevent such incidents. A national survey carried out by the National Union of Students (NUS) in 2018 revealed that fewer than 10% of students who experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct reported it to their institution. That means the vast majority (about 81%) either didn’t report it or weren’t sure if it had been reported. One key reason for this low reporting rate is that many students simply don’t know how to get help. The more students understand the support systems available, the more likely they are to speak up.

Another major reason people don’t report is uncertainty. Nearly one in three students said they weren’t sure if what happened was serious enough to report. And for those who did report, 90% said their university failed them in at least one way. More than half believed their institution didn’t respond properly to their complaint. Fear also plays a big role. Victims often stay silent because they’re afraid of retaliation from classmates, staff, or others in the university community. This fear isn’t limited to the UK. In Spain, a study found that 40% of people who witnessed gender-based violence didn’t help the victim because they were afraid of the consequences. In the U.S., researchers have stressed the need for universities to make real changes to prevent both harassment and retaliation. This includes training senior staff and encouraging people who witness inappropriate behaviour to speak up, not just as bystanders but as active supporters of those affected.

Improving the situation depends on the commitment of university leaders. They need to take the issue seriously, raise awareness within their institutions, and publicly support victims. It’s also essential that they demand both scientific and ethical excellence from everyone in the academic community. That means making sure that the people in charge have always stood by victims and have shown that they are committed to preventing gender-based violence, not just in words but through real actions.

Other sources

Cedeño R., Bohlen J. (2023). Sexual harassment and prevention training. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing.

Ghani, H. and Towl,G.J. (2017), “Students are still afraid to report sexual assault”, Times Higher Education, available at: www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/students-are-still-afraid-report-sexual-assault

Melgar, P., Geis-Carreras, G., Flecha, R., & Soler, M. (2021). Fear to retaliation: The most frequent reason for not helping victims of gender violence. International and Multidisciplinary Journal of Social Sciences, 10(2), 31–50. https://doi.org/10.17583/rimcis.2021.8305

National Union of Students. (2018). Power in the academy: Staff sexual misconduct in UK higher education. National Union of Students. https://www.nusconnect.org.uk/resources/power-in-the-academy-staff-sexual-misconduct-in-uk-higher-education