UWI rejects former lecturer's gender-based violence claims

The Mona campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI) is disputing a study presented by a former lecturer about a culture of gender-based violence on its St Andrew campus.

Speaking on 'Cliff Hughes Online' yesterday, campus registrar Dr Camille Bell-Hutchinson said the report lacked evidence to support its claims.

Former UWI lecturer and gender analyst, Taitu Heron, chronicled some of the reported cases of violence against women on the campus in her study Whose Business Is It? Violence Against Women at UWI, Mona.

67 reports in 3 years

Heron, now a United Nations development specialist, reported that between 2010 and 2012, the offices of security services received 67 reports of violence against female students on campus, most of which took place on the halls.

However, the UWI registrar said while the university cannot say sexual violence does not take place on campus, the university has never had a report of sexual harassment on any of its six halls of residence.

Meanwhile, Bell-Hutchinson said the university has established mechanisms to ensure that violence, and particularly gender-based violence, is prevented.

She insisted that the university does not have wide-scale cases of gender-based violence on campus.

The registrar said the university was more concerned about male-on-male violence on campus.

Bell-Hutchinson said there was a need for conflict management and instilling of social graces among students.