Sexual harassment worse at more elite universities

Students’ experience of sexual harassment varies widely depending on what type of university they attend and what course they are studying, according to a new analysis of the first major survey of the issue in the English sector.

Higher-tariff universities and disciplines such as languages, medicine and veterinary sciences report incidents at a far higher rate than the national average.

The Office for Students’ survey, conducted last year, found that nearly one-quarter (24.5 per cent) of respondents reported sexual harassment since entering higher education, and around one in seven (14.1 per cent) reported sexual assault/violence.  

The regulator’s new analysis, published on 8 May, found other groups were also more adversely affected than the average. For example, students who study at a provider that is not local to them reported harassment levels of 29.2 per cent while 42.2 per cent of students who also report a mental health condition said they had experienced harassment.

Students at higher-tariff institutions were more likely to report harassment than those at middle-tariff ones, at 34.9 per cent and 26.5 per cent respectively. The figures for “low tariffs and unknown tariffs" were lower than the average, at 17.6 per cent.

Some 42.4 per cent of students on language and area studies courses reported experiencing at least one instance of sexual harassment, with comparable levels being reported by students studying veterinary sciences (41.3 per cent) and medicine and dentistry (40.3 per cent).

The report says: “This further analysis reinforces the conclusion from the 2025 report that experiences of sexual misconduct are complex and associated with a broad range of characteristics, rather than being explained by one or two key factors.”

While it stressed that “students report lower overall prevalence of sexual assault/violence than harassment, the patterns were “similar” to those reported in harassment cases”.

In both reports of both harassment and assault, gay, lesbian and bisexual students reported higher levels of incidents than their heterosexual peers. But in both cases, women who identified as gay or bisexual reported significantly higher figures than men.

The interim chief executive of the OfS, Josh Fleming, said the responses given to last year’s survey were “instrumental” in building a “growing body of evidence which will ultimately help institutions better protect students now and into the future”. 

“Every student should be able to enter higher education with the knowledge that they will be safe from sexual harassment and assault. Sadly, we know that isn’t the case for a significant number of students across the country,” he said, noting the survey will run again next in 2027.

“Every institution should consider these findings and reflect on their existing approaches to preventing and addressing harassment and sexual misconduct, and on how to bring about improvement where it’s needed most.”   

Libby Hackett, the new chief executive of the Russell Group, said the figures were “troubling”.

“There is no place for this behaviour on our campuses and in our society at large. Our universities have zero tolerance to sexual misconduct and work to ensure every student and staff member remains safe on campus.

“Many universities have stepped up these efforts in recent years, with more support and clearer reporting processes – but it’s evident from the data that there is more work to be done. 

“We will be working collectively with the regulator, government, charities and wider local communities to understand the risks for the most vulnerable students, respond to students’ needs, and prevent harassment and violence before they occur to make our universities a safer place for everyone.”

juliette.rowsell@timeshighereducation.com