Discourses of violence: an analysis of the construction of power and impact in university sexual harassment policies

Brunk, Rebecca, McKay, Steve, Bayley, Julie and Colston, Belinda (2025) Discourses of violence: an analysis of the construction of power and impact in university sexual harassment policies. Journal of Gender Based Violence. pp. 1-20. ISSN 2398-6816

Abstract

Sexual harassment prevention within universities is a critical issue that is influenced through the framing of institutional policies. This study employs a feminist discourse analysis to examine the construction of sexual harassment in the policies of 30 English universities. The analysis focuses on how these policies describe power dynamics and the impact of harassment. The findings reveal a dominant discourse in line with the Equality Act (Gov.uk, 2010) that frames sexual harassment as harassment against a protected characteristic, with limited attention to the role of power or the image of the perpetrator. Alternative discourses present sexual harassment as either gender-based violence, focusing on power and perpetration, or as workplace aggression akin to bullying. Additionally, the study highlights that policies primarily emphasise the negative effects on individuals’ psychological and work-related wellbeing, often overlooking the adverse impacts of reporting harassment on both individuals and the broader community within a sexually hostile environment. Implications for policy are discussed.

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