In a message to Harvard affiliates on Monday, President Alan Garber announced the release of the results. The HESMA survey, which was conducted by a consortium of 10 universities, was the third in a series Harvard has used to understand and address issues related to sexual assault, misconduct, and harassment on campus. The first two were held in and The new data shows a statistically significant decline in sexual misconduct at the University since the survey and indicates that a majority of bystanders who witnessed misconduct intervened.
The results also show a high level of awareness of the reporting mechanisms and support services offered to those who have experienced sexual assault or harassment.
Still, a significant number of students reported that they did not utilize resources following incidents. These and other survey results will inform sexual assault and misconduct prevention practices and resource allocation. Newell: We know from the research that we cannot rely on individual disclosures of reports of sexual harassment and assault to determine the prevalence of harm that is occurring within our community. Climate surveys, such as the Association of American Universities AAU surveys conducted in and and the HESMA survey conducted this year, offer important and reliable information that we can then use to develop strategies and resources for responding to this public health issue.
Newell: As a starting point, we are grateful to our students for taking the time to participate in this critically important research. The survey is long, and the questions touch on very sensitive subject matter, yet our students clearly were seeking to have their voices heard, with over 35 percent of Harvard students participating in the survey. The overall data show that the prevalence of all forms of non-consensual sexual contact, harassing behavior, and sexual harassment are lower in in than in prior rounds of the survey.
McGinn: The prevalence of sexual misconduct experienced by Harvard students was lower in spring than in spring , but our students continue to experience sexual harassment and sexual assault. Even one incident of sexual assault on our campus is too many. In the large majority of incidents, students reported other students as the people responsible for the sexual misconduct. While our students are knowledgeable about support resources available on campus, these data show that very few students who experience sexual harassment or assault seek support from Harvard resources or programs.
