Researchers have called for all university staff to be trained in how to manage professional boundaries with students, after analysis revealed a grey area of personal interactions which could lead to sexualised grooming.
New evaluation of a survey of nearly 1,500 students conducted by the UK’s National Union of Students found that about nine out of 10 respondents were uncomfortable with sexualised interactions with staff, such as an academic asking a student out on a date, telling them that they were attracted to them, or commenting on their body.
However, opinion was split much more evenly when students were asked about a range of personalised interactions. Typically around a third of students would feel uncomfortable if a staff member added them on social media, sent them private messages or arranged meetings outside term time – but a similar proportion said they would feel comfortable with such behaviour.
While 42 per cent of respondents said they felt uncomfortable about university staff getting drunk with students, 32 per cent said they would be OK with it.
