A TEAM of students are working to eradicate sexual violence in the city by lobbying for an improvement in street lighting

Student group 'It Happens Here' was set up by Oxford University attendees in 2013, however, it recently gained further attention in light of the Sarah Everard case and the creation of Everyone’s Invited, an anonymous sexual assault testimonies website, on which a number of Oxfordshire institutions are listed.

The student group aims to lobby the university in improving its policies on sexual assault and harassment, as well as helping wider society move towards being one free from sexual violence, through education, support, advocacy and outreach.

Read here: 'I'm a survivor, not a victim': woman talks of her sexual assault

Timea Iliffe, 19, whose studies Philosophy Politics and Economics at New College, and Tasha Lovel, 19, studying History at St Hilda’s are currently running the the group, and continuing the fight against sexual violence within Oxford.

Miss Ilifee said: “I joined the campaign because it seemed like a real, tangible way to put my beliefs and in particular my feminist principles into practice and affect positive change across the university, particularly given that this is an issue that affects so many people, and so often in a culture of silence that prevents those responsible from being held accountable.”

Just yesterday, it was announced that Sarah Everard’s cause of death, after she went missing walking home in south London, was a result of compression of the neck.

Her death resulted in a nationwide campaign to make streets safer for women.

Read here: Sightings of Spaniel, believed to be stolen by professional dog thieves in Oxford

As a result of this, the students are now focusing their attention on how to not only make the university society safer, but how to make the city of Oxford safer as well.

One of the main focuses for It Happens Here this year is to improve street lighting across the whole city.

It also is seeking to develop better communication between both Thames Valley Police and the university’s security services.

Miss Lovel said: “Sexual violence is way too common, as seen by the recent 97 per cent statistic from the Guardian - things need to change.

“Everyone deserves to feel safe and not at risk of sexual violence, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, which cannot be achieved if we do not challenge the environments we are exposed to or the institutions that are supposed to support us and keep us safe.”

The team are also supporting more students across their university by educating on the issue, but also advocating for survivors of sexual assault and their allies at all institutional levels.