Universities will be ordered to train staff how to respond to sexual misconduct incidents

Universities will be ordered to train academics on how to respond to sexual misconduct incidents, amid a crackdown by the watchdog on “rape culture” on campus.

Vice-Chancellors are to be told that they must give staff “adequate and effective” training both to prevent sexual harassment as well as raise awareness about it.

The Office for Students (OfS) will publish new guidance on Monday which will set out what systems universities must have in place for students who raise concerns.

It comes just days after the Everyone's Invited website published a “rape culture” league table of the universities which have attracted the highest number of allegations.

The site’s creators said rape culture is "endemic" at universities and praised the "courage" of young women who had come forward to share their stories.

The website released a list of 17 universities mentioned in more than five testimonies, almost all of which were in the elite Russell Group.

The Everyone’s Invited website has already prompted the Government to order an investigation into sexual assault allegations at some of the country’s leading private schools.

Ofsted, the schools watchdog, is to launch a series of inspections at some of the country’s leading institutions and quiz headteachers about the extent of their knowledge of both “specific incidents” and more general problems.

The OfS first published its draft guidance in January 2020 and launched a consultation, but the final publication had been put on hold due to the pandemic.

However, cross-Government discussions in recent weeks about how best to tackle peer-on-peer sexual abuse have led to an increased urgency in publishing the document.

"Gavin [Williamson] wants to make sure that nothing is swept under the carpet," an education source said. "He welcomes this action by the regulator."

Universities should roll-out staff training on how to respond to different types of harassment and sexual misconduct incidents, the guidance will say.

“Training made available for all staff and students to raise awareness of harassment and sexual misconduct to prevent incidents and encourage reporting where they do occur,” it adds.

“This should consider covering areas such as bystander initiatives, consent and receiving and handling disclosures.” On OfS spokesperson said: “It’s crucial that we all take steps to tackle sexual assault and harassment in universities and colleges.

“Universities and colleges need robust procedures to support students and help prevent incidents. We will be setting out our expectations of universities and colleges on these issues shortly.”