Cambridge University Sexual Assault Harassment Adviser

Photo: Getty Images

Sexual assault and harassment is rife at UK universities, with nearly one in five students experiencing it in their first week of term. Despite greater public awareness of the issue in recent years and victims being increasingly brave enough to share their stories, more needs to be done to stamp out the problem.

Now, Cambridge University is to become the first in the country to hire a full-time member of staff to support and advise students on sexual assault and harassment, the BBC reported. The chosen candidate will work within the university's counselling service and will work individually with students as well as designing and running workshops for staff.

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The adviser, who will earn up to £38k, will work with the police, the local sexual assault referral centre and Cambridge Rape Crisis to "bolster the advice and support available to a student", according to the advert.

A university spokesperson told the BBC: "The university is continuously and actively working to improve the prevention, response, support and investigation of all instances of harassment, hate crime and sexual misconduct."

They continued: "This new post has been created to supplement and bolster advice and support available to students through the college tutorial system, and in particular offer a source of specialist support to students."

In June it was reported that students at Jesus College, Cambridge, had been heard shouting misogynistic and rape-inciting chants, which may have shocked some but will have been like water off a duck's back to anyone who has attended university in recent years. Many universities now hold compulsory sexual consent classes to educate students when they join their institutions.

The news of the appointment has been largely well received on Twitter, although many acknowledged that it shouldn't be necessary in the first place. The general view of Cambridge students, whose academic term doesn't start for another few weeks, is as yet unclear.

Positive to see universities investing in change: Cambridge University advertises for sexual assault adviser https://t.co/eJQTGQNaST
— Prof Clare McGlynn (@McGlynnClare) September 11, 2017

Cambridge University advertises for sexual assault adviser < sad that this is needed. But well done Cambridge. https://t.co/zeBwFWCDxA
— Dr Heather Doran (@hapsci) September 10, 2017

Great to see a proactive approach BBC News - Cambridge University advertises for sexual assault adviser https://t.co/QjV5m0AMPz
— Lee Battle (@LadyLeeBattle) September 10, 2017

Positive step from Cambridge Uni, let's hope others follow: BBC News - Uni advertises for sexual assault adviser https://t.co/OF4ObfpYaX
— Cindy Douglas (@DouglasCindy) September 10, 2017

Good work @Cambridge_Uni --an important step towards a more honest discussion of campus sexual assault from unis https://t.co/5hyahr0TBV
— Tom Peach (@thetompeach) September 10, 2017

Hope Cambridge University #sexualassault adviser is step towards comprehensive #consent culture & all students safe https://t.co/7YkonlCetC
— Gemma Welsh (@gemwelsh6) September 10, 2017

An investigation by The Guardian earlier this year suggested sexual harassment had reached "epidemic levels", with up to 300 claims having been made against university staff alone in the last six years.

UK universities have also been widely accused of providing woefully substandard support to victims over the years by neglecting to log students' allegations of rape, sexual assault and harassment, and of not taking student victims seriously, a separate Guardian investigation from last year found.

Judging by how prevalent – and generally accepted as just a fact of life – sexual assault, harassment and issues around consent were when we were students, it's encouraging that Cambridge has taken the public step of acknowledging and addressing it. Let's just hope other institutions follow their lead.