UPDATED
ALMOST one in five University of Newcastle (UON) students have been sexually harassed since starting their studies, according to a new survey.
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The Social Research Centre released on Wednesday the findings from its 2021 National Student Safety Survey. Of 43,819 respondents, 862 were from UON.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO said the results showed the university had work to do.
"At our university we are adamant that any experience of sexual assault and sexual harassment is completely unacceptable, on or off campus," he said.
"Every member of our community has the right to feel safe.
"We are committed to ensuring a sensitive, coordinated and victim-survivor centric approach to preventing and managing incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment."
The survey showed that 17.9 per cent of UON students have been sexually harassed since starting their degrees, 9.3 per cent in the past 12 months.
Meanwhile, 16.1 per cent of students across Australia have experienced sexual harassment since starting university and 8.1 per cent have experienced it in the past 12 months.
The survey found six per cent of UON students have been sexually assaulted since starting their studies, 2.8 per cent in the past 12 months.
One in 20 or 4.5 per cent of students in Australia have experienced sexual assault since starting university and 1.1 per cent have experienced it in the past 12 months.
Of the UON students who experienced sexual harassment, 47.9 per cent knew some or all of the perpetrators involved.
The survey found the context for the "most impactful incidents" was mostly general campus areas, followed by lecture theatres and labs and the library.
Just 4.2 per cent made formal complaints to the university and 11.1 per cent sought support or assistance from the university.
The survey found female, transgender and non-binary students were more likely to have been harassed in a university context in the past year compared to men.
Students who had diverse sexuality, were aged 18 to 21, had a disability or lived in student accommodation were also at greater risk.
The Social Research Centre said harassment included catcalling, receiving sexualised comments or commentary, being inappropriately touched, groped, 'upskirted', stalked and kissed without permission.
Assaults included instances where the victim-survivor didn't consent to sexual activity, withdrew consent and the perpetrator continued, or was too intoxicated to consent.
The survey found 50.1 per cent of UON students who were sexually assaulted know nothing or very little about where to go to make a complaint and 36.3 per cent know nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance.
Similarly, 46.6 per cent of UON students who were sexually harassed know nothing or very little about where to go to make a complaint and 39.1 per cent know nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance.
National Tertiary Education Union Newcastle branch president Dan Conway said the prevalence of sexual harassment and assault in the student body was "deeply troubling and concerning".
"Further, the fact there has seemingly been no improvement in these statistics in five years is hugely frustrating," Mr Conway said.
"All students should feel entitled to come and learn in a safe and inclusive learning environment, just as we expect, as staff, to come and work in a safe and inclusive working environment.
"The NTEU has previously called on government to establish a round table, which includes all stakeholders, on sexual harassment in universities to establish a national, unified plan for our universities. Yet the government dismissed that request."
Mr Conway said the government's own Respect@Work report had two recommendations specifically relating to higher education which needed to be funded.
"Yet to date, these remain unfunded and stuck with the bureaucracy," he said.
"Now, a year after that report, we see that many more young people have been damaged through inaction.
"We remain committed to work with government, management and students to seek to resolve these issues and make our campuses safe for all."
University of Newcastle Students' Association president Jessica Philbrook said she was "deeply concerned" by any instances of assault and harassment and in particular to see the proportion of UON students who had been impacted was higher than the national figures.
She said UNSA met with UON executive on Wednesday and would meet again on Monday to discuss its previous action plan, what needed to be done moving forward and why the UON figures were higher than national figures.
"We're going to be working quite closely with them to develop that plan," she said.
"There is so much more work to be done, that's for sure."
Professor Zelinsky said UON had been working over the past five years to better respond to, and support victim-survivors and was committed to strengthening student safety and support initiatives and address issues raised in the survey.
"Our overall approach centres on education and the development of a culture of consent in the university community, with the aim of preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment," he said.
"Any experience of sexual assault or sexual harassment is a serious issue - it can impact anyone.
"Our aim is to ensure that any person who is impacted has access to the support they need, whenever they need it.
"Our university is led by evidence-based practices in responding to disclosures and reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment and takes a sensitive and collaborative approach when managing these incidents.
"While we have made progress, we know there is more to do."
UON said in a statement it had a range of measures to prevent and respond to assault and harassment.
It said this included regularly reviewing and updating its sexual harassment and assault policies and procedures to ensure that any work that contributes to prevention and response is current and the policies and procedures are trauma informed and led by the needs of the victim-survivor.
UON said it has a Campus Care team of health professionals that have trained 59 residential mentors about responding to disclosures; a counselling service; an after-hours support line; and included student representatives on its Safe and Respectful Communities Advisory Group.
It said not-for-profit education organisation Consent Labs had delivered sexual consent lectures and workshops to residents and Elephant Ed will deliver workshops to residents on topics to be determined with students.
Staff have been trained to respond to disclosures and all students are required to complete the online Consent Matters module.
The survey recommendations to universities included acknowledging the role of gender as well as intersecting discrimination and marginalisation in driving sexual harassment and assault.
Support: 1800 RESPECT or 1800RESPECT.org.au; Lifeline 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au
EARLIER
ALMOST 18 per cent of all University of Newcastle (UON) students have experienced sexual harassment since starting their studies, according to a new survey.
The findings of the Social Research Centre's 2021 National Student Safety Survey - one of the world's largest surveys on sexual harassment and assault experienced by university students - were released on Wednesday.
Of the 43,819 respondents, 862 were from UON.
IN THE NEWS
Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO said the university had work to do.
"At our university we are adamant that any experience of sexual assault and sexual harassment
is completely unacceptable, on or off campus," he said.
"Every member of our community has the right to
feel safe. We are committed to ensuring a sensitive, coordinated and victim-survivor centric
approach to preventing and managing incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment."
Professor Zelinsky said UON had been working over the past five years to better respond to,
and support victim-survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
"Our overall approach
centres on education, and the development of a culture of consent in the university community
with the aim of preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment," he said.
"Any experience of sexual assault or sexual harassment is a serious issue - it can impact
anyone, regardless of age, race, gender identity, sexual preference, religious or cultural
background.
"Our aim is to ensure that any person who is impacted has access to the support
they need, whenever they need it.
"Our university is led by evidence-based practices in responding to disclosures and reports of
sexual assault and sexual harassment and takes a sensitive and collaborative approach when
managing these incidents.
"While we have made progress, we know there is more to do.
"The university and UNSA are
committed to working with students, staff, and victim-survivors to strengthen our student safety
and support initiatives and to address the issues raised in the National Student Safety Survey."
The survey showed that 17.9 per cent of UON students had experienced sexual harassment since starting university, 9.3 per cent in the past 12 months.
Of these students, 12.2 per cent were female, four per cent were male and 21.7 per cent were a differently described gender.
Almost half or 47.9 per cent knew some or all of the perpetrators involved.
The majority of the most impactful incidents occurred in general campus areas (45.1 per cent), followed by lecture theatres and labs and the university library.
Just 4.2 per cent made formal complaints to the university and 11.1 per cent sought support or assistance from the university.
There was less data available about sexual assault.
The survey found six per cent of UON students had experienced sexual assault since starting university, 2.8 per cent in the past 12 months.
It found 50.1 per cent know nothing or very little about where to go to make a complaint about sexual assault and 36.3 per cent know nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance for support.
By comparison, 46.6 per cent of UON students who experienced sexual harassment know nothing or very little about where to go to make a complaint and 39.1 per cent know nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance for support.
Across Australia, 16.1 per cent of students have been sexually harassed since starting at university and 8.1 per cent had been sexually harassed in the past 12 months.
One in twenty or 4.5 per cent of students in Australia have been sexually assaulted since starting at university and 1.1 per cent have been sexually assaulted in the past 12 months.
Universities Australia's Chair Professor John Dewar AO said the situation was "unacceptable".
"No instance of sexual harassment or sexual assault should be tolerated, and our institutions must set the tone for what is expected from our future graduates," Professor Dewar said.
"To achieve this, we need to continue in our efforts on prevention as well as providing support, compassion and fairness to all victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault in our institutions."
Professor Dewar said sexual harassment and sexual assault in university communities was not limited to campuses.
"It can occur in students' own homes, in residential colleges, pubs and clubs," he said.
"These are the places where students live, work, study, travel and socialise. The results of this significant survey are distressing, disappointing and confronting.
"Too many students have experienced sexual harassment and sexual assault, not only in their time on campus, but away from university and over the course of their entire lifetime."
UON said in a statement it had implemented measures to support the prevention of, and respond to, reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
It said this included "continuing to ensure that our Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) policies and procedures regularly reviewed and updated to ensure that any work that contributes to the prevention and response of SASH is current and that they are trauma informed and led by the needs of the victim/survivor".
"The University of Newcastle manages formal reports of Sexual Assault and sexual harassment under the Code of Conduct which supports the principles of natural justice for all parties," it said.
"The University of Newcastle initiatives under our Governance, Prevention and Response frameworks are guided by our Safe and Respectful Communities Advisory and Working Groups. These teams function to develop and support practices that reflect institutional and community needs and expectations."
UON also has a Campus Care team of trained health professionals; a counselling service; an after-hours support line; and included student representatives on our Safe and Respectful Communities Advisory Group.
Not-for-profit education organisation Consent Labs has delivered sexual consent lectures and workshops to residents and Campus Care team has delivered tailored training to 59 residential mentors that focused on responding to disclosures of sexual assault. Staff have also been trained to respond to disclosures.
Elephant Ed will deliver workshops to residents on topics to be determined in collaboration with the student community. All students are required to complete the online Consent Matters module.
Across Australia, one in two of the students who had experienced sexual harassment knew some or all of the perpetrators involved.
The majority of the most impactful incidents occurred in general campus areas (43.3 per cent), followed by lecture theatres and labs and the university library.
One in 30 of the students who had experienced sexual harassment made a formal complaint to the university and one in six sought support or assistance.
One in two know nothing or very little about the formal reporting process for harassment and one in two know nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance for harassment.
For students who experienced sexual assault, the majority of the most impactful incidents occurred at clubs and societies events and spaces (25.8 per cent). This was followed closely by student accommodation or residences and then private homes or residences.
Two in three students who experienced sexual assault knew some or all of the perpetrators involved.
One in 20 of the students who were sexually assaulted made a formal complaint and one in four sought support or assistance. One in two knew nothing or very little about the formal reporting process for assault and two in five knew nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance for assault.
The survey found women are far more likely to be sexually harassed or sexually assaulted than men.
Sexuality and gender diverse students are at significantly greater risk than all other groups of being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people living with disabilities, and people from culturally diverse backgrounds, are also student cohorts at greater risk of sexual harassment and sexual assault.
The majority of perpetrators are male.
More to come.
For support:
- 1800RESPECT https://1800respect.org.au and 1800 737 732
- Lifeline https://lifeline.org.au and 13 11 14
- University safety services https://universitiesaustralia.edu.au/our-universities/student-safety
- QLife https://qlife.org.au and 1800 184 527
- MensLine Australia https://mensline.org.au and 1300 789 978
- Beyond Blue https://beyondblue.org.au and 1300 224 636
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