Postgraduate students are vulnerable in academic settings. Roughly 6% of 160 PhD-level respondents to a 2023 survey in England reported having experienced unwanted behaviours of a sexual nature in the previous year (see go.nature.com/4ke6pv9). One-third of those were not sure how to report their experience to the university, or where to seek support. Similar, or higher, rates were found in studies in Australia (some 30,000 participants) and the United States (more than 180,000 participants).
As a scholar and activist working to address sexual harassment in higher education, I have seen how devastating it is for students when faculty members abuse their power. In 2016, the resignation of feminist scholar Sara Ahmed from Goldsmiths College, University of London, in protest at the lack of action against sexual harassment rocked the UK higher-education community. I co-founded a campaigning organization, The 1752 Group, dedicated to redressing the situation. The group’s name reflects the meagre amount of money that Goldsmiths invested in our first conference on tackling the issue — £1,752 (US$2,380). This stopgap approach is emblematic of academia’s reluctance to engage with the problem.
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At last, nearly ten years on, England is taking action. From 1 August, England’s national regulator for higher education, the Office for Students, will require institutions to protect students from harassment or sexual misconduct.
This is a welcome step. But the guidelines must include specific protective measures for PhD students. As researchers, they work in environments distinct from those of students in taught programmes. They are more likely to be targeted by staff members, both at their institution and outside it. This is partly because of their close relationship with advisers and mentors, and partly because of academia’s deeply hierarchical, gender-unequal culture.
Any form of harassment can disrupt people’s lives, careers, professional networks, and physical and mental health. Some people report experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder or a loss of confidence. Those targeted sometimes change fields or leave academia altogether.
My research has shown that the main reason students report sexual harassment by a member of staff is to keep themselves and others safe. But too often, they receive little to no commitment from universities that they and others will be shielded from perpetrators.
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Many institutions are still building systems and expertise to address sexual harassment. A change in attitude is crucial. Even now, I hear that such misconduct is rare, or not that serious. Other barriers persist. In Europe, data privacy regulations can hinder efforts to keep people safe. Distinct disclosures about the same alleged perpetrator, for example, aren’t usually linked.
