University of Melbourne report reveals number of staff, students engaged in sexual misconduct

Complaints over sexual harassment, stalking, unwelcome advances and inappropriate comments and have hit a record high at the University of Melbourne, with dozens of staff and students investigated.

The University of Melbourne received 23 sexual harassment and misconduct complaints about students last year.

A dozen staff members employed by Australia’s leading tertiary institution were investigated last year following allegations of sexual misconduct and harassment, a new report has revealed.

The number of complaints made against University of Melbourne staff in 2024 tripled to 21, compared to just seven in 2023, the institution’s fourth Sexual Misconduct Annual Report found.

Meanwhile, the university received 23 sexual harassment and misconduct complaints about students, bringing the collective number of alleged incidents reported to 44.

This is the highest number of complaints the institution has received since it was made mandatory for universities to report on sexual misconduct and harassment at their campuses.

Investigations found complaints made against seven students were substantiated for behaviours including sexual comments, inappropriate online comments, unwelcome sexual advances, stalking, inappropriate touching and unwelcome general sexualised behaviour.

A dozen staff members employed by University of Melbourne were investigated last year for sexual misconduct. Picture: Supplied

One student was expelled and three were suspended with conditions placed on their re-enrolment.

Another five cases remain under investigation.

Furthermore, the university dismissed six staff members upon a finding of sexual misconduct.

Despite the rise in reports, University of Melbourne Provost Professor Nicola Phillips said the institution has made significant progress since the first report was published in 2021.

“No individual in our community should be subjected to sexual harassment or sexual assault as they go about their studies or work, and everyone should expect – and insist on – an environment which is characterised by professionalism and respect,” she said.

“We will continue to stand up for these values and decisively respond to sexual assault or sexual harassment where it is found to have occurred in our community, following processes that are conducted fairly and carefully.”

The report also said the university perceived the increased number of complaints as a “positive outcome of efforts to gradually build trust in our systems”.

Students criticised the university last year for mishandling sexual harassment allegations, after three female law students were allegedly sexually harassed by another student at campus university events during the first semester of 2022.

“The student was found guilty in an internal investigation and was only suspended from the university for six months and allowed back into classes after that as if nothing had happened,” one law student told the Herald Sun in April last year.

“He bore no consequences and it reflects how the institutional responses to these issues have been really terrible.”

The university dismissed six staff members upon a finding of sexual misconduct. Picture: David Geraghty

Professor Phillips acknowledged there was more work to be done to eliminate sexual misconduct and said the university was working to create a positive culture where forms of abuse were taken seriously.

“Every two years the university releases a Respect Action Plan, which clearly outlines the action the university commits to taking,” Professor Phillips said.

“The new two-year Action Plan for 2025-2027 has just been released.

“The actions include mandatory awareness training for every member of our community – both students and staff – so everyone knows what sexual misconduct is and the role they can and must play in preventing and responding to it.”

Professor Phillips encouraged anyone with concerns about sexual harassment or misconduct at the university to connect with its Safer Community Program, and assured all issues would be handled in a respectful, fair and confidential manner.