Gender-based violence in research organisations: prevalence, consequences, and conceptual dilemmas

International Day of Girls and Women in Science Lecture

Gender-based violence, including sexual harassment, occurs at all career levels of higher education and research, and in all disciplines, and affects mostly women and girls. It has destructive consequences for individuals, disrupts careers, damages institutions, and affects the quality of research and education itself. Moreover, there is an interplay between gender-based violence and more subtle forms of psychological violence, such as stress and pressure, often inherent in reward-based and hierarchical systems such as academia.

In spring 2022, the UniSAFE project carried out the largest survey in Europe relating to gender-based violence in academia. A total of 42,000 students and staff at European research institutions responded to the survey.

The findings from the survey show that almost two out of three respondents have been subjected to at least one form of gender-based violence since they started working or studying at their institution. According to the survey, psychological violence is the most widespread form of violence. It has become clear that gender-based violence is clearly not just a problem for individuals or researchers – it's a problem for the entire European research area.

In this talk, Sofia Strid will explain what is gender-based violence and what were the aims of the UniSafe initiative. She will present the findings of the survey, and suggest potential next step to address gender-based violence in academia.