End Sexual Violence is a student-led campaign at Cambridge, founded last Easter term to tackle the “sense of shame and this huge stigma around” sexual violence at the University. The campaign advocates for clearer reporting procedures, stronger survivor support, and systemic reform. We spoke to Miriam Mitchell, the founder of the campaign and Maisie Price, who is in charge of social media.

Discussing what inspired her to found the campaign, Miriam explained how “overwhelmingly most, if not all, the women I know at Cambridge University have been assaulted in some capacity.” It’s this distressing reality that pushed her to start this campaign, with a hope that it would “encourage more people to come forward and, thankfully, it has already had quite a big impact.”

During May Week, Miriam collaborated with the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, designing and wearing dresses to raise awareness for the cause, believing that “the best thing to do was to wear something that would make an impression.” Many people approached her in the Trinity May Ball queue, asking questions about the white dress she was wearing, on which she had written her own experience. Her arguably “more controversial” dress, an Alexander McQueen-inspired one, was deliberately shredded and “a lot more on the nose” in terms of the focus on sexual violence. Yet, this explicitness is something Miriam felt was vital, both to make more people aware of the issues, and also to challenge the idea that “sexual violence is something shameful for women. By putting it on show, you’re making everyone, especially men with dated opinions, uncomfortable. I think that was the whole point behind that one.”

Looking back on particular milestones within the campaign Miriam highlighted the coordination with other campaigns as a key aspect of their success. Miriam spoke of a plan “in the making” in collaboration with Amnesty International and other ongoing campaigns nationwide. In Easter term of last year, the ‘blue ribbon’ campaign was launched; a chance to show solidarity with the cause through the donning of blue ribbons. The wide participation in the campaign was described as “encouraging” as well as the cross-university collaboration with Durham University and Edinburgh University who raised money for their own rape crisis centres.

“There is a sense of mistrust regarding Cambridge’s ability to protect its student body”

Both also emphasise how there are also continuing “problems with disciplinary procedures.” Reflecting on one student’s experience, Maisie described how the victim was simply told to avoid the individual within their college, effectively forcing “the victim to make changes to their life,” with no consequences for the offender. Miriam echoes these reflections, noting how the prevailing attitude is often reluctant to “remove the perpetrator, as they prioritise academics.” She recalls that some colleges, before following up a report, urged “the victim to engage with the perpetrator and see if they can resolve it themselves,” a harmful approach that only intensifies the victim’s trauma. Universities don’t “have the necessary resources, or know how to handle the situation,” ultimately leaving victims with little option but to intermit, they tell us.

This discomfort highlights a broader issue: while punitive measures are swiftly applied in response to academic violations, Mariam claims that the University consistently fails to apply the same urgency when addressing sexual offenses. As Maisie explained, the system is uniquely complex due to the collegiate structure, allowing each college to establish its own reporting policies. This leads to some experiencing inconsistencies across the University, which Miriam feels “breeds a sense of mistrust regarding Cambridge’s ability to protect its student body.”

The general response to the campaign has been “overwhelmingly positive” and Maisie noted particularly how quickly they were welcomed into the feminist scene in Cambridge as well as the support they received from the Women’s Campaign. When asked about how students can support the cause further, Miriam’s response was clear. “On a basic level literally anything, so talking about it, discussing it with friends.” She emphasised that blue ribbons, as well as cards and stickers from the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre are available for societies to help spread the word.

“If you do make any headway, even if it is small, it’s so exciting to see when people reach out to you”

Direct involvement in the campaign is also very welcome, with fundraising efforts needing “as many hands on deck as possible”. Miriam underlined the fact that though helping with fundraising is hard, it is also extremely rewarding due to the community spirit which forms. “If you do make any headway, even if it is small, it’s so exciting to see when people reach out to you. I was in the pub once and someone came up to me and said, ‘you guys do End Sexual Violence.’ I was so touched.”

The importance of individual action was also stressed. Offering a “listening ear” if anyone confides in you about having experienced any form of sexual assault or violence is always a “good first step.” Being an “active bystander” and calling out problematic behaviours may seem daunting at first but “once you stand up, you’d be surprised to see how many people will follow.” Though sexual violence is an international issue, Maisie highlighted the goal at the core of the campaign – “if we can just make Cambridge a safe space for calling out these things and engaging in a dialogue, then we’ve done our little part in affecting a much broader cultural problem.”

If you have experienced sexual violence, please reach out for help. Contact the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre: Helpline: 01223 245888 or email support@cambridgerapecrisis.org.uk. Your voice matters, and you deserve to be heard.