Changing the culture: Report of the Universities UK Taskforce examining violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students

This report summarises the evidence considered by the Universities UK Taskforce to examine violence against women, harassment and hate crime affecting university students, and makes a series of recommendations for universities and UUK. These recommendations cover both prevention activities and how universities can respond to these issues more effectively in future. 

Universities UK established the Taskforce in 2015. It met four times over a 12-month period and considered a vast range of evidence from individual universities, the National Union of Students and other organisations including Rape Crisis, Tell MAMA, the Union of Jewish Students and Stonewall.  

The report includes a number of case studies from individual universities as well as links to key support agencies that can assist students who have experienced violence, harassment or hate crime.  

Separately, new guidelines have also been published offering advice to universities on handling alleged student misconduct which may also constitute a criminal offence.

These guidelines were drafted following evidence to suggest that the existing guidance in this area was no longer wholly relevant.