OU Receives 7.7M Pounds Grant to Tackle Online Violence Against Women

The Open University (OU) has received a £7,730,000 funding from Research England to construct a new center dedicated to combatting online violence against women. This follows the release last year of The Open University's largest-ever survey on online violence against women and girls, which revealed worrisome data.

According to the survey, 15% of women in England have experienced online abuse, with 30% observing it and 13% reporting incidents that escalated to offline violence. Notably, 68% of women believe that present law is ineffectual in tackling this widespread problem.

The newly financed center, situated in Milton Keynes and slated to launch later this year, will conduct study on legislation, policy, technological development, and practice to reduce the harms encountered by women and girls online.

Professor Olga Jurasz, a renowned expert in the subject, will lead the cross-faculty and cross-disciplinary team. Professor Olga stressed the critical necessity to combat the growing epidemic of online violence, noting the increasingly hazy distinction between online and real places.

The center's strategy is both scholarly and practical, with intentions to engage with local businesses and organizations in England, as well as worldwide technology enterprises. This multidisciplinary endeavor intends to have a local effect, co-design solutions, and increase responsibility in order to make the internet a safer place for women and girls.

The support from Research England, which is part of the £156 million Expanding Excellence in England Fund, demonstrates the organization's dedication to advancing meaningful research and encouraging social change. The OU's Open Societal Challenges Programme aims to solve critical societal concerns, and the development of this center is consistent with the university's objective to alter lives through research.