Harassment and sexual misconduct

How to make a difference on student safety at university – with Condition E6 now in force.

Recording coming soon

Hosted by

Jim Dickinson

Associate Editor (SUs), Wonkhe

Slides coming soon

We set out the scale of harassment and sexual misconduct, why it's not a side issue, and how we got from the Zellick report to Condition E6. We work through the anatomy of E6 – the single source document, mandatory training, the NDA ban and the staff-student relationship rules – the employer duties under the Worker Protection Act, the OIA's good practice framework, and a local and national playbook for SUs.

In this session

What we cover

The scale – 22% of students experiencing harassment, 24.5% of finalists experiencing sexual harassment, and why these are floor figures.
Not a side issue – the links to value for money, retention and wellbeing for students who experience harassment.
The reporting funnel – how few harassed students report, and how many rate the experience as good.
Not only sexual – E6 covers all protected characteristics, with racial harassment far higher for Black students.
How we got here – from Hidden Marks and "lad culture" to the voluntary statements and Condition E6 in force from August 2025.
The anatomy of E6 – a single source, minimum content, capacity, free speech principles, the NDA ban and staff-student relationships.
Power and process – why three-quarters of students are uncomfortable with staff-student relationships, and what good process looks like.
The legal layers – the Worker Protection Act duty on SUs, the Equality Act, and the OIA good practice framework.
Risk by subject and setting – why prevention is risk assessment, not policy-polishing.
Who gets missed – international students, PGRs, placement and franchise students, and the local and national playbooks for SUs.