With the support of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Advisory Group, the ‘Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions Implementation Plan’ (ESVH Implementation Plan) was developed to address recommendations that emerged from an analysis of the 2021 National Surveys of Staff and Student Experiences of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish HEIs. Action 12 of the implementation plan, ‘Undertake a study following the victim’s journey from disclosure to outcome’, was included in recognition of the need for qualitative research to explore the context in which members of HEIs have experienced sexual violence and harassment and how this issue is responded to by the institution.

In response to this action, in 2024, the HEA Centre of Excellence for EDI sought proposals from the sector to complete qualitative research that would explore experiences of staff and students related to disclosure and reporting (formal and informal) of sexual violence and harassment in Irish HEIs. Funding was awarded to University of Limerick to conduct the qualitative research in partnership with University of Galway and University College Dublin.

The final research report captures and shares the voices and experiences of survivors and makes evidence-informed recommendations to institutions with a view to improving institutional responses to sexual violence and harassment and enhancing support for survivors.