The Prevent Duty guidance sets out that Higher Education institutions (HEIs) in the UK to have due regard to the need to prevent people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism
Swansea University is committed both to protecting freedom of speech and academic freedom and to protecting and safeguarding its students and staff from the risk of being drawn into terrorism. Our Prevent Policy outlines Swansea University’s commitment to preventing students from being drawn into terrorism. In doing so, we recognise that terrorism can be associated with a range of ideologies.
Within our Prevent Policy, terrorism is defined as the use or threatened use of violence for the purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial, or ideological cause.
Radicalisation
Radicalisation is the process by which a person comes to adopt extreme political, social, or religious ideologies often leading to support for, or participation in, violent extremism or terrorism.
Prevent safeguards individuals who are more susceptible to radicalisation in a similar way to safeguarding processes designed to protect people from gangs, drug abuse, physical and sexual abuse.
Radicalisation is the process where someone starts to adopt extreme views that could lead them to support or even take part in harmful or violent behaviour. This can happen both in person and online, and with the internet, it’s easier than ever to come across extremist content or be targeted by individuals trying to influence others.
Everyone’s journey is different, and there’s no single checklist to tell us if someone is being radicalised. However, there are some signs that may suggest someone is at risk:
- Talking a lot about a sense of injustice and blaming others for it
- Expressing strong anger or hatred toward a particular group (for example, based on race or religion)
- Saying that violence is the only way to fix a problem
- Posting or sharing extremist views or hate speech online
If you’re worried about yourself or someone else, you’re not alone. There is support available—reach out through this platform or speak to a trusted member of staff.