A recent study at the University of Kent has shone a light on the misogyny and rate of sexual abuse committed by male UK students.

Research published by PhD candidate Samuel Hales, alongside Professor Gannon from Kent’s Centre of Research and Education in Forensic Psychology, has revealed rapes and assaults admitted to by male UK students.  

The abstract of the paper reads: ‘University-based sexual aggression is an international public health issue; however, to date, there have been no formal assessments of the prevalence or psychological indicators associated with the proabuse behaviors of the most common perpetrators at UK universities: heterosexual male students.’

In a first of its kind paper, of 554 male students surveyed, 63 reported that they had committed 251 sexual assaults, rapes and other coercive and unwanted acts. The report also revealed that perpetrators were significantly more likely to endorse victim blaming and misogynistic myths surrounding women, for example, believing that their problems were caused by women as well as fantasising about sexually abusive situations involving women.

The culture known as “toxic masculinity” was revealed to be a major factor in the raised rate of sexual assaults among the group who admitted to engaging in unconsentual sexual activities.

This has raised some concerns of safety and security of potentials victims whilst on campus.

Samuel Hales said: “universities need to work at tackling the root causes of sexual violence so they need to look at themselves and ask what they can do different to improve the situation.”

The main draw of the study was to gather evidence of the rate of sexual abuse in UK universities, and it is hoped that further studies will help find a solution to the growing problem.