Ending Gender Based Violence
Gender-based violence affects students in every part of the world, our campus is no exception. Gender-based violence includes any harm done to someone because of their gender, sex, sexual orientation, or gender expression. It’s often talked about as “violence against women,” but it affects people of all genders.
Our campaign is here to change that. We're working to build a campus and a Scotland where everyone feels safe, respected, and supported and where harmful behaviour has no place.
Consent isn’t optional, so learning about it shouldn’t be either. Mandatory training ensures everyone gets the same knowledge, helps prevent harm, and builds a campus where respect is the norm, not the exception.
Campaign goal
We want to create a campus where students of all genders and sexualities feel safe.
Campaign objectives
- Make the Consent Matters module mandatory.
Harassment can be a type of Gender-Based-Violence Tackling problems with consent is only the start to ending Gender-Based-Violence. We think it is a crucial foundation for all students to respect each other’s boundaries.
- Increase visibility of Report and Support.
In the short term, we expect to see more students coming forward, because they feel safer and know how to report. Over time, as knowledge grows and behaviours change, the number of actual incidents should go down, that’s the change we’re working towards!
Why this is an important issue
Experiencing Gender-Based Violence has a massive impact on someone’s confidence, wellbeing, physical and mental health, and academic success. It also affects friendships, relationships, and overall safety on campus. Across the University, 14% of students reported experiencing harassment, unwanted sexual attention, or gender-based violence during their time at Heriot-Watt.
Knowledge of support is also low. Only 17% of students know where to go for help, and among those who have experienced harassment or GBV, 1 in 5 didn’t know where to seek support and another 18% were unsure. Even more concerning, 20% of students who reported experiencing an incident said they did not seek support at all.
Trust in university processes also plays a crucial role. While a majority of students expressed confidence that the University would take reports seriously, over a quarter were unsure, and more than 17% expressed doubts or a lack of trust. Only 46% of survivors express high trust, while 17% report low trust, compared with just 2% among students who have not experienced harassment or GBV. This tells us that those who need support most feel least confident using existing processes.
All of this paints a clear picture: gender-based violence is happening here, and many students don’t know where to go for support.
What can you do to help?
Every student has a role in making campus safer. Here’s how you can be part of the change:
- Complete the Consent Matters module
We’re working to make it mandatory because everyone should have the same base-knowledge and tools. But in the meantime, you should do it and get your friends to do it too! If you’re a sports club or society leader, get your members to do it as well!
You can find the module on your Canvas.
- Use what you learn
Apply it in your own relationships, notice when something feels wrong, and support others who might be experiencing harm.
- Report concerns - big or small
If something happens to you or someone you know, reporting helps us act. You’ll be taken seriously, and support is available.
Use the University's Report and Support platform.
Want to get more involved in the campaign?
Join our events and activities over our SHAG (sexual health and guidance) week! 9th-13th February
Join our Action Group on the 19th Jan 4-5pm and get involved in the campaign!
Full Time Officer Lead
Cameron Fields, President
Get in Touch