Protocols for preventing and tackling sexual violence in the university context: an analysis of the Latin American scenario

Abstract

Sexual violence is a public health issue, and it is
present in several contexts, including universities.
This study systematized information found
in 34 protocols for preventing and tackling
sexual violence in Latin American universities.
The following aspects were examined: year
of publication; terms selected by protocols to
designate goals and guidelines, as well as the
references used to frame the concepts; social
markers; the scope of application; and support
network provided by universities. From the
overall number, 75% were created between 2015-
2018, showcasing recent development. As for
terminology, the notion of sexual violence allows
for a wider and more objective account of diverse
ways of violence, presenting a more fruitful
manner of identifying the phenomenon. As for the
scope of applicability of the policy, it is important
to consider institutional ties, not only the spatial
limits of campuses, as well as virtual relationships,
and not just face-to-face. The support network
provided by university stands as a decisive factor
for more effective counseling and guidance of the
occurrences. While the formulation of protocols
remains a necessary policy to sanction the
university’s responsibility, it must be combined
with complementary ones that include developing
further research in this field.