Confronting Sexual Misconduct at St Andrews

A recent report from the Daily Mail revealed that 48 students at St Andrews have reported incidents of sexual misconduct over the past three years. Of these, 47 complaints involve other students and one with a member of university staff. The allegations cover a range of behaviors, from harassment and unwanted advances to severe cases of sexual assault and inappropriate comments.

Though, as evidenced in the existence of Instagram account St Andrews Survivors (@standrewssurvivors), this issue has always existed in town. In July 2020, the account launched to provide a platform for individuals to share their stories anonymously. St Andrews Survivors offered a removal of this barrier and gave students a space to share their experiences anonymously and without fear of stigma. 

Since its inception, over 300 anonymous testimonies have been shared, highlighting the crucial need for spaces where students can safely discuss these difficult experiences. The account’s final post from January 2023 recounted a student’s story of trauma and its lasting impact on her sense of intimacy, sleep, and relationships with others as well as herself. She reflected that such an experience has engrained itself in her university life.

However, since early 2023, the St Andrews Survivors page remains silent. Attempts to reach the account administrators have gone unanswered, raising concerns about the future of the platform. The persistence of sexual misconduct issues suggests that, in the absence of this space, a gap in support and community awareness remains.

The University of St Andrews has nevertheless taken steps to improve campus safety and foster a culture of respect. It introduced GotConsent, a compulsory online training program on sexual misconduct and intervention, and has partnered with the Fife Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (FRASAC) and Student Services to offer free support to students affected by sexual or gender-based violence. This initiative has also strengthened connections with Student Wellbeing Officers, making them more accessible to students in need.

St Andrews’ efforts have not gone unrecognized: it became the first UK university to receive the EmilyTest Gender-Based Violence Charter Award — an honor awarded to institutions that demonstrate rigorous standards in gender-based violence prevention and support. This award was established by the mother of an undergraduate law student who took her own life after enduring prolonged abuse.

While these developments demonstrate the University’s commitment to campus safety, the 48 formal complaints over the past three years prompt important questions about whether these measures are sufficient. The increase in complaints may reflect a positive shift toward openness and transparency, signaling that students feel more empowered to report incidents, but it could also reveal ongoing shortcomings in the University’s support and prevention structures. 

Image from WikiCommons