Overcoming Sexual Harassment at University: The Case of the Training Intervention in the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

The social and behavioral sciences have contributed enormously to our understanding of societies and the relationships between individuals within them. Sexual harassment is a universal social problem that is reproduced in different contexts and societies. However, institutions such as universities have made it invisible, contributing to the impunity of harassers and the vulnerability of victims. This has been the case for decades in countries such as Spain. Today, universities are implementing training measures to prevent such behavior. This article analyzes, from a dialogic sociological perspective, one of these interventions in terms of its success and impact on the academic community: the “Training for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence at the University”, implemented by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain) between 2021 and 2024. The article defines and analyzes its main characteristics: (1) the contents based on scientific evidence; (2) the human commitment of the trainers; and (3) the dialogue with the solidarity network World MeToo Universities. The article concludes that the positive impact of this pioneering intervention in the academic community constitutes a universal and transferable successful action to overcome gender-based violence in universities.