Rapid Review of Scottish Higher Education Responses to Gender Based Violence

This report sets out the findings from a desk-based review examining existing policy and practice in relation to GBV across Scottish HEIs. Research and review of GBV in higher education contexts have largely tended to reflect experiences within English Universities, or cover the UK as a whole. Of the 62 HEIs which contributed to the recent UUK taskforce consultation, for example, only five were from Scotland, three from Wales and one from Northern Ireland.12 GBV, however, is a policy area with a degree of variation across the UK, and the evolution of distinct policy approaches and positions may impact on how Universities approach this complex issue. Intervention, prevention, policy and practice must be contextualised within national, devolved contexts. A Scotland focused review is therefore not only required to highlight specific activity in Scottish Universities, but also because Scotland has a distinct political position and national conceptualisation of VAWG and GBV. Although similarities with UK wide approaches are evident, the ‘distinctiveness’ of Scotland’s policy position derives from its gendered analysis and definition of violence and abuse, emphasising the inter-relationship between ‘gendered power relations and inequalities.’