Higher Education
We believe life at university should never be tainted by public sexual harassment, or the fear of how you will get home. Our vision is for everyone to feel safe in their campuses, cities and colleges.
Higher education institutions must take responsibility for the public sexual harassment affecting their students, and act to ensure the safety of the entire student body.
As a campaign, we:
Connecting with student groups across the UK through our campus collectives, universities forum & webinar events
Working alongside universities and local authorities to create safer campuses and cities
Providing workshops and training programmes of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct
Conducting research into students experience of public sexual harassment and gender based violence to create an evidence based to inform policy
Clearing The Lines: Upcoming Webinar Series
Clearing The Lines is an online webinar series which focuses on How to campaign on Public Sexual Harassment & Gender Based Violence at University.
In April 2025 we will cover three key areas for University Students, click on the images to sign up!
Higher Education & Public Sexual Harassment, Student Forum
As a partnership between Our Streets Now and representatives from Higher Education Institutions UK-wide, the OSN Universities Forum promotes cross-university collaboration on the issue of Public Sexual Harassment (PSH) within Higher Education settings.
The aims of the Forum are to:
Establish a community of student and OSN activists united around the goal of eradicating PSH within Higher Education contexts
To liaise on UK-wide initiatives and projects relating to the goal of eradicating PSH within Higher Education contexts
To provide support to campaigns and campaign groups working or aiming to work on addressing PSH within Higher Education Settings
Your role as a member of the Our Streets Now Universities Forum may include, but is not limited to the following:
Attending Forum meetings
Reporting back to interested parties within your organisation
Collaborating with other members to share learning, experience and ideas
Contributing to and sharing research
If you’re a university campaign or an individual student passionate about making a change about public sexual harassment you can sign up for the Universities Forum below
Reclaiming Community
Isabel Ryall, Higher Education Lead speaks on the impact of Public Sexual Harassment
Street Harassment: It’s Not Okay
Jess Leigh speaks at TEDxExeter about what Public Sexual Harassment is, it’s impact and explains why it’s not okay
Campus Collectives
Our Campus Collective programme invites members of the university community all over the country to join the Our Streets Now movement. Join us in developing impactful campaigns to combat public sexual harassment on your campus, in your city, and on a national scale. Together, we can create safer spaces for everyone.
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At Our Streets Now, we believe in tackling public sexual harassment in all aspects of life. As a Campus Collective, you have the freedom to focus your campaign on the areas most relevant to your campus or city. You could collaborate with our other key campaigns Schools, Sports and High Streets, to amplify your impact and create meaningful change.
We equip you with the tools for success. Benefit from our comprehensive resources, expert training and ongoing support to craft powerful campaigns throughout the academic year. Engage in key activism moments, including the '16 Days of Activism' in November and International Women's Day in March. Connect with fellow activists in our monthly meetings, where we discuss pressing policy issues and strategize mobilisation efforts.
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We welcome all members of the university community to join or start a Campus Collective. Whether you're an undergraduate, postgraduate student, university staff member, elected Student Union officer, or academic, your voice and passion are valuable in this movement.
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To set up a Campus Collective at your university, you'll need a group of at least three people, including one designated as 'President'. This minimum group size is crucial because creating change in any environment demands significant dedication and effort. A team of three or more members provides the diverse skills and manpower necessary to effectively drive results both within your institution and your city. By forming a team, you'll be better equipped to manage the workload sustainably and create meaningful change on your campus and in your community.
We're excited to welcome new Campus Collectives for our first intake this October. Follow us on social media for updates and join us in making our streets safer for all.
Your activism can shape a better future – be part of the change!
Get started with your campus collective by checking out our starter pack
In February 2021, we launched ‘Our Schools Now: Higher Education’, and our #StudentsNotObjects campaign to demand action from institutions to better protect its students
The evidence shows alarming rates of sexual violence and harassment faced by students and the detrimental impacts it has on their education.
→ 84% of higher education students have been subjected to some form of Public Sexual Harassment (Our Streets Now, 2020)
→ Students aged 16 and above are over three times more likely than the average person in their age group to have experienced sexual assault (ONS, 2023)
→ Sexual harassment and gender-based violence has a clear negative effect on students’ performance, concentration, mental health and wellbeing
Ultimately, women, girls and marginalised genders are missing out on central parts of the university experience due to the very real fear of sexual harassment