Decolonising Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Higher Education: Interventions in Theory, Policy and Practice

Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) within Higher Education (HE) is a global problem that requires urgent attention. Keeping ideas of prevention and change of culture at its core, the proposed research will decolonise understandings of SGBV in HE by focusing on lessons from institutional practices and feminist struggles in the Global South. It will present new, inclusive and survivor-centred understandings of SGBV in HE through a programme of research that is empirically grounded, methodologically innovative and theoretically informed. This research will develop an intersectional and interdisciplinary approach in all three levels of theory, policy and practice for addressing a critical contemporary challenge.

Lack of reporting mechanisms and policy frameworks related to SGBV, larger cultures of sexism, racism and homophobia leading to victim blaming, 'slut shaming' and mistrust of survivors, and absence of support structures are some of the issues that structure violence within HE. HE is not commonly recognised as a site of violence nor does it recognise itself as an agent of oppression. Its hierarchical nature gives rise to sometimes visible and other times hidden power dynamics which oppress certain minority bodies while privileging others. Hence, rethinking SGBV within HE not only requires an acknowledgement of these power dynamics and resultant violence, but a complete overhaul in the way theory, policy and practices are imagined in these contexts. The important issues pertaining to SGBV in HE are: (i) the lack of data on the prevalence and nature of existing violence and available support mechanisms, (ii) lack of focus on empirical research from the global South, (iii) lack of knowledge about the entwinement of structural violence with the process of establishment, continuance and transformation of HE institutions, (iv) the lack of knowledge exchange between institutions, academics and policy makers, with almost a negligible transfer of knowledge between HE institutions in different countries.

Using five country-specific case studies (South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Chile and Australia) that are comparative in their histories of colonial and imperial legacies, and display interesting intersections of institutional repression and collective action today, this research aims to address the aforementioned gaps in knowledge, bringing together theories and methodologies from feminist institutionalism, gender studies and public health. These four issues require prolonged research, involving a broad range of disciplines. Thus, the FLF is the best pathway for this study, given its interdisciplinary nature combined with its lengthy duration. This ambitious and challenging research project will not only explore new agendas in all three disciplines but also bridge the gap in theory and policy in the area of SGBV in HE.