Recent research shows that gender-based violence (GBV) continues to be a serious issue in universities around the world, with students, especially women, being the most affected.
For example, in Eastern Cape, South Africa, 83% of female students reported experiencing sexual (46.7%) or physical violence (36.3%), with 36.7% facing attempted rape and 28.9% having been raped (Mutinta, 2023). In central southern England, 68% of students reported sexual violence (18%) or harassment (50%), with women disproportionately affected (Steele et al., 2021). A UK report elaborated by the National Union of Students and The 1752 Group found that 46% of students and alumni had experienced or knew someone who had experienced sexual misconduct by university staff (NUS, 2018). In Spain, 62% of students had experienced or knew someone who had experienced violence against women in the university setting (Valls et al., 2016). In Northern Ireland, 56% of students reported unwanted sexual contact, and 42% had experienced rape (Anyadike-Danes et al., 2022).
These figures highlight the urgent need for universities to implement GBV prevention training in diverse formats and settings, with academic leaders, teaching staff, and students actively taking part as upstanders and receiving training based on scientific evidence (Serradell & Puigvert, 2025). Every academic year, thousands of young people, many of them women, attend classes and participate in research led by university staff. When academic and non-academic staff are trained in evidence-based strategies to prevent GBV, they can help create safer and more respectful learning environments. For example, by providing students with key information and tools to support victims of GBV and to act as upstanders.
Activities can take place outside the classroom, in dedicated spaces, or during key dates such as November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women), March 8 (International Women’s Day), or the UN Women’s 16 Days of Activism, for instance, through cineforums, debates with survivors, or dialogic gatherings. They can also be part of campus-wide events, celebrations, or student gatherings. Additionally, training can be offered within the classroom or to specific student groups, such as during welcome or orientation sessions for first-year students. It is also important that teaching staff are familiar with educational strategies that allow them to incorporate GBV-related activities into their subjects, for instance, Dialogic Feminist Gatherings (Puigvert, 2016). Students should be empowered to act, both as victims and as bystanders, and staff should be equipped to support them effectively.
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