Dear Members of the Harvard Community,
This past spring, Harvard students and their counterparts at nine other universities nationwide accepted an invitation to participate in the 2024 Higher Education Sexual Misconduct and Awareness (HESMA) survey. I write today to share the results. While the data show a statistically significant decline in sexual misconduct since the most recent AAU Survey in 2019, its prevalence remains alarmingly high and challenges the notion that all members of our community are able to pursue their academic and professional work unhindered. One instance of sexual assault or sexual harassment is too many.
I am encouraged, however, by the level of participation among our students. Our University response rate was more than 10 percentage points higher than the average of the participating institutions. This level of awareness and engagement is critical to identifying and navigating a path to improve our campus climate. In addition, there is a high level of awareness of the reporting mechanisms and support services offered to those who have experienced sexual assault or harassment. Yet action does not always follow awareness. Only a minority of the students who experienced harassing, controlling, or abusive behavior took action to report it. It is our ongoing responsibility to bridge that gap by improving accessibility and instilling confidence that community members have at their disposal resources that meet their needs.
I am also encouraged by the report’s findings that a significant majority of bystanders who witnessed misconduct intervened. Since 2019, the Office for Gender Equity (OGE) has developed and integrated active bystander intervention approaches into education and outreach efforts. Since 2018, all Harvard students, as well as all benefits-eligible faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows, have been required to complete training on sexual harassment prevention and response, which includes active bystander intervention approaches and strategies. Such training encourages us to care for one another and reminds us that each of us can help create a community that is truly welcoming.
Still, we have more work to do. In the coming weeks, we are launching an updated version of the required eLearning course addressing sexual harassment and other sexual misconduct. This course will serve as a supplement to expanded in-person training that we are offering across the community. Greater awareness of intervention strategies and available resources is particularly important for Harvard’s faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows, as they are best positioned to model bystander behaviors that inform University culture and climate.
This year’s survey revealed that the majority of incidents occur among student peers, that half of incidents involve current or former partners, and that 75 percent of incidents involve alcohol or drugs. These findings reflect a need for continued prevention programming that directly addresses these factors, as well as deepened engagement with community members to create conditions that will enable both action and change.
I am grateful to the people who worked so hard on this survey, including Nicole Merhill, Director of the Office for Gender Equity and University Title IX Coordinator; Peggy Newell, Vice President and Deputy to the President; Kathleen McGinn, principal investigator for Harvard’s HESMA survey and Baker Foundation Professor at Harvard Business School; and each member of the HESMA Survey Steering Committee. Most of all, I am grateful to every student who took the time and care to share their experiences by taking part in this important initiative. For further information about the survey results, please see this interview with Professor McGinn and Vice President and Deputy Newell in the Gazette. I also encourage you to attend a community presentation tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. in the Fong Auditorium in Boylston Hall on the results of the survey, as well as an initial analysis presented by Professor McGinn.
Each of us has a role to play in ensuring that Harvard is a welcoming and safe community for all. The results of the HESMA survey show us where we can improve. I hope that we will seize the opportunity to engage in the important and necessary work ahead.
Sincerely,
Alan M. Garber
