St Mark’s College: State’s oldest university residence embroiled in hazing row must overhaul sexual misconduct rules, review finds

SA’s oldest university residential college that was embroiled in party storms and degrading hazing should overhaul its sexual misconduct rules to help stop “rape myths”.

South Australia’s oldest university residential college that was embroiled in party storms and degrading hazing should overhaul its sexual misconduct rules and training to help stop “rape myths”, a review found.

The century-old St Mark’s college faced national controversy in 2018 after claims of sexual assault, degrading hazing rituals and racist parties emerged.

The North Adelaide-based college, founded in 1920, has cracked down on binge drinking, banned “unacceptable past traditions” and engaged an independent sexual misconduct investigator.

St Mark's College in North Adelaide

A new review, by leading Sydney University academic Professor Catharine Lumby, urged sexual misconduct rules should be tightened.

While praising the college’s efforts, her 11 recommendations urged creating two, much clearer policies on sexual harassment and misconduct, new victim support, legal processes as well as training, especially to stamp out “rape myths”.

She also advised training on the role of social and online media with intimacy, the “damaging effects of cliquishness and gossip” along with new “good character” rules.

The review reported interviews with students, senior management and staff on leadership retreats.

A wide-ranging survey asked students why people “misread signals” on sexual consent.

Professor Catharine Lumby.

More than a third blamed poor communication, 29 per cent nominated alcohol as a cause, a fifth said a “lack of experience” while more than one in 10 reported “flirtatious behaviour” as a reason.

“While it is heartening that students did not nominate provocative clothing as a trigger for assault, blaming alcohol or flirtatious behaviour are signs that there is a residual reliance on myths about what causes sexual assault,” the review said.

Professor Catherine with media executive John Hartigan. Picture: Timothy Clapin

Another asked if women “sometimes backtracked after giving consent” to sex.

The 27-page review said responses produced more “concerning statistics”. More than half agreed they did “very occasionally or sometimes” while a fifth were “unsure.

“These results demonstrate the enduring need for ongoing education and training about healthy and consenting relationships,” the report stated.

A focus group with second and third year female students had a “robust” debate on “micro aggressions” or insensitive behaviour such as bombarding text messages, low key sexist comments or students “rating” other genders.

“These examples indicated that there is still a lack of clarity about what constitutes sexual harassment,” it found.

She praised St Mark’s for its advanced, proactive, reflective and enlightened rules.

She concluded: “Sexual misconduct unfortunately occurs in all organisations.

“What matters is how prepared and committed organisations are to preventing it where possible and hearing complaints fairly where necessary.”

Chair of St Marks College Linda Matthews with students Henry Hole and Chelsea Hammond pose. Picture: Mark Brake

The college’s chairwoman, former Equal Opportunity Commissioner Linda Mathews, welcomed the review.

“We recognise that there is more that we can do, and we look forward to implementing in full the various recommendations made in the report,” she said.