Université Paris Cité and Sciences Po spearhead a comprehensive investigation on the subjects of sexual and gender-based assault
In a groundbreaking survey conducted by Université Paris Cité and Sciences Po in 2024, over 5,000 students were questioned about their experiences with gender-based and sexual violence. The SAFEDUC survey aimed to shed light on the prevalence and impact of these violences within higher education institutions.
The findings revealed a significant impact on the lives of victims, particularly female students, with nearly one in three (32%) reporting having suffered a physical or sexual assault. The survey also highlighted a disparity in the reporting of such violences between women, sexual minorities, and gender minorities, and male students.
One in ten female students (10%) reported having been raped or attempted to be raped, while male students reported less prevalence of such incidents: 3% were raped or attempted to be raped, 18% suffered a physical or sexual assault, and 30% experienced sexual harassment. The survey also found that more than half (57%) of women students reported experiencing sexual harassment since the beginning of their studies.
The perpetrators of the reported gender-based and sexual violence were predominantly men, with more than 93% of reported rape or attempted rape cases being committed by one or more men. The survey also found that 11% of physical or sexual assaults occurred within the university.
Interestingly, the survey results showed that non-binary individuals and non-heterosexual individuals, whether gay, lesbian, or bisexual, are more exposed to gender-based and sexual violence. Twelve percent of homosexual or bisexual individuals reported having been victims of rape or attempted rape, compared to 6% of heterosexual individuals.
The SAFEDUC survey is part of broader efforts to address and understand these issues in higher education settings. The survey's findings were discussed at conferences such as the "Final Conference Making Young Researchers' Voices Heard for Gender Equality," where Violette Toye presented insights on mapping gender-based and sexual violence in higher education.
The survey's aim is to gather data on the extent of sexist and sexual violence in higher education, to enable higher education institutions to implement effective institutional policies to prevent such violence. This survey has been designed to be replicated in other higher education and research institutions.
The survey results underscore the urgent need for universities to address and combat gender-based and sexual violence. The data collected will hopefully help in creating safer and more inclusive learning environments for all students.
- The impact of medical-conditions like gender-based and sexual violence on students' lives, especially women, is significant, with almost one-third reporting physical or sexual assault.
- The SAFEDuc survey discovered a disparity in reporting such incidents between women, sexual minorities, and gender minorities, and male students.
- The findings suggest that female students are more vulnerable to sexual harassment, with more than half reporting such experiences since the beginning of their studies.
- Climate change in education and self-development is crucial as the survey results show a higher exposure to gender-based and sexual violence for non-binary individuals and non-heterosexual individuals.
- The data collected from the SAFEDuc survey will be useful in promoting personal-growth and career-development initiatives focused on addressing these issues in higher education settings.
- In sports, such as football, baseball, hockey, golf, basketball, racing, and tennis, it is essential to prioritize education-and-self-development, including sports-analysis and mixed-martial-arts, to foster a culture of respect and safety.
- universities should use the SAFEDuc survey results to implement institutional policies aimed at preventing gender-based and sexual violence, aligning with the broader goal of creating health-and-wellness and mental-health programs for students.
- The survey results emphasize the need for womens-health and mens-health programs in higher education institutions, focusing on providing resources and support for victims of gender-based and sexual violence.
- The SAFEDuc survey's findings have contributed to the ongoing conversation about environmental-science and its intersection with gender-based and sexual violence in higher education.
- Researchers and policymakers in the field of education should collaborate to replicate the SAFEDuc survey in other higher education and research institutions to gather more comprehensive data on the issue.
- Ultimately, the SAFEDuc survey's goal is to contribute to the creation of a safer and more inclusive learning environment for all students, fostering an environment where all can pursue environmental-science, education-and-self-development, and personal-growth with confidence.
