Full list of universities exposed by sexual assault investigation

A SUNDAY Night investigation tonight revealed most rape reports at universities end with no action. Here’s the shocking list of sexual assault stats for each institution.

THE largest ever Freedom of Information investigation into reports of rape, attempted rape, and other sexual misconduct at Australian universities shows most victims have been wasting their breath reporting their abuse.

Only a tiny fraction of reported incidents in the last five years have resulted in any serious disciplinary action against offenders.

Equally concerning is that other universities, including Monash University and the University of Western Australia, refused to participate in the FOI, prompting rape survivors to question their commitment to dealing with the problem.

The FOI investigation conducted by Channel 7’s Sunday Nightrevealed that of 575 formally reported sexual misconduct cases in the past five years (a quarter of which relate specifically to rape), only six resulted in an expulsion.

A further 14 resulted in suspension, but the vast majority of reported rape and harassment cases appear to have gone completely unpunished.

Of further concern, the universities themselves admit that the overwhelming majority of students who have experienced rape or harassment never report to their institution, meaning the figures uncovered by the FOI represent just the tip of the iceberg.

(Last year, a report conducted by the University of Sydney found that just one per cent of sexual assault victims ever made a formal report to that University. Sharna Bremner from End Rape on Campus Australia said other universities were “likely to have similarly low reporting rates”.)

Alison Sandy, the FOI expert who conducted the investigation on behalf of Sunday Night, said that both Monash and UWA refused to disclose anything.

Ms Hunt, left, said her university appeared to be “trying to save face”.

“Many more were reluctant to hand over information,” she added. “They can make it difficult and often you really need to know the law to get them to cooperate. Most often, the more resistance applied, the more they have to hide.”

Of those FOIs that did came back, some contained entire pages that were completely blacked out.

Emma Hunt, a Monash student who described her rape on Sunday Night, said she was “so disappointed” her university had not co-operated with the FOI.

“The fact that they refuse to say anything gives you the answer,” she said. “It shows there is a problem they don’t want to admit to. I know so many girls this has happened to, but [the university] is just trying to save face.”

Monash was approached by news.com.au for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

Former UWA student Jannika Jacky, who also talked to the program about her rape, said she too was frustrated to learn her university hadn’t been compliant.

“It is definitely a transparency issue and when you don’t have that transparency they also don’t have that accountability for things that have happened,” said Ms Jacky. “I think they should release it. It’s such a huge problem. It’s hugely undiscussed and swept under the rug and I think transparency is absolutely key to improving the way that we ensure the safety of women.”

A spokesperson for the university responded with a statement that reads: “The University of Western Australia withheld the information requested under Freedom of Information in order to protect the identities, the personal information and details of investigation processes. This is entirely consistent with freedom of information legislation.”

But Ms Bremner, from End Rape on Campus Australia, said this was a cop-out. “That’s not even a remotely acceptable response,” she said. “Other universities managed to do it without identifying anyone — by removing any identifying information and only providing [basic or redacted] details. What they have done is just another way of silencing people and I have to ask, what are you trying to hide? You’re [potentially] hiding something really bad — that’s the only reason I can think of why you don’t give anything.”

Former University of Western Australia student Jannika Jacky, who also talked to the program about her rape, said she was frustrated to learn her university hadn’t shared its stats.

FOI RESULTS BY UNIVERSITY

(Please note that due to under-reporting, figures are not indicative of the actual rate of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct, and that higher report rates may reflect better reporting mechanisms. Therefore these results are primarily useful for understanding the proportion of disciplinary actions that were taken in relation to formally reported incidents in the last five years. These figures have been provided courtesy of Channel 7. Lack of disciplinary action may be the result of an inability to substantiate a complaint, or some other cause).

NEW SOUTH WALES

University of Sydney: 52 reported cases, 1 expulsion, 1 suspension, 4 reprimands noted

University of New South Wales (UNSW): 40 reported cases, zero expulsions, 2 suspensions, and 5 formal reprimands noted

University of Wollongong (UOW): 40 reported cases, zero expulsions, 1 suspension, 3 reprimands noted

Western Sydney University (UWS): 28 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions, 7 warnings noted

University of New England (UNE): 22 reported cases, 2 expulsions, 2 suspensions noted

Macquarie University: 20 reported cases, zero expulsions or suspensions, 2 warnings noted

Charles Sturt University: 19 reported cases, no expulsion, 1 suspension noted

University of Newcastle: 14 reported cases, 2 suspensions, 2 expulsions noted

University of Technology Sydney: Denied receiving application

Some allegations included: At UWS, a male staff member had five sexual harassment complaints made by female students against him. Approximately 20 per cent of the sexual misconduct complaints made at UNSW in the last five years related to staff members.

UNE was by far the most transparent of all universities. However, the results are concerning: in one case a staff member provided rent-free accommodation in university lodgings to a student. The staff member subsequently received a sexual rub-down from that student using massage oils he purchased for the occasion.

Another UNE student admitted that he molested a female student, grabbing her breasts, putting his hand down the front of her underpants, and refusing to stop when asked. Despite his admissions, he was permitted to continue living at the college. He was put on “good behaviour” probation, asked to write apology letters and also required to perform a single day (8 hours) of community service “at the discretion of the Head of College”. (The same male student was also accused of multiple other sexual offences including: inserting his fingers into a woman’s vagina without consent, grabbing a female student’s breasts and saying “you have really nice tits”, peering over a shower wall while a female was showering, and entering a woman’s bedroom without permission while she was changing and calling her a “fat bitch”. He denied some, but not all, of these further allegations.)

Another UNE student who made inappropriate sexual advances at a college event that — according to internal documents — “amount to sexual harassment at least, and could be considered sexual assault” was given a $55 fine (by way of comparison, students have told news.com.au parking fines at UNE can range from $80 to $160).

In another UNE report, a student accused of multiple sexual offences was allegedly given key access to all rooms within the College.

In yet another case, internal emails discussing the alleged rape of a student included the line: “I don’t believe there is any further action to be taken at this stage (very low risk of media becoming involved”).

QUEENSLAND

Griffith University: 46 reported cases, zero expulsions, 1 six month suspension noted

University of Queensland (UQ): 38 reported cases, 1 expulsion, and 2 one week suspensions noted

Queensland University of Technology (QUT): 17 reported cases, no expulsions, no suspensions noted

James Cook University: 9 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted, 1 person removed from a college

Central Queensland University (CQU): 7 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

Southern Cross University: 7 reported cases, zero expulsions, 2 suspensions noted

University of Sunshine Coast (USC): 5 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

University of Southern Queensland (USQ): 2 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

Some allegations included:At James Cook University, three male assailants attempted to gang-rape a female student in 2015.

Also in 2015, a staff member from the University of Queensland “filmed someone in the shower. Police laid charges and the perpetrator’s casual employment at UQ was discontinued.”

Multiple other staff members at UQ had sexual harassment cases made against them: one was “substantiated and disciplinary action was taken”; another was “substantiated and the staff member was formally censured and required to undergo training”; a third was “substantiated and the staff member was warned and required to undergo training”; a fourth was “partially substantiated and the perpetrator resigned during the investigation.”

VICTORIA

Deakin University: 40 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

Monash University: Denied access

RMIT University: Not completed in time

Swinburne University of Technology: No response

Federation University: Not completed in time

University of Melbourne: Delayed response

La Trobe University: 7 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

Victoria University: 13 cases reported, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted

The FOI investigation did not uncover any evidence of expulsions or suspensions at universities in Victoria regarding sexual misconduct over the last five years.

Some allegations included:12 members of staff either had their employment terminated or were disciplined for sexual misconduct at Deakin University in the time frame covered by the FOI.

ACT

University of Canberra: Replied but results received too late to include

Australian National University: Replied but results received too late to include

TASMANIA

University of Tasmania: Not completed in time

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:

Flinders University: Requested 60 day extension

University of Adelaide: 2 cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted, 1 cease contact order made

University of South Australia: 17 cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted, 2 formal warnings

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

University of Western Australia: Denied access

Curtin University: 17 cases noted, 6 ‘voluntary separations’

Edith Cowan University: 7 reported cases including 2 rapes, outcome unclear

Murdoch University: 9 reported cases, zero expulsions, zero suspensions noted, 1 formal warning given

Some allegations included: Murdoch University included 8 incidents of a flasher reported to security over 2 years and at least 2 cases of staff harassing students.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Charles Darwin University: 1 case reported resulting in counselling

If you or someone you know has been impacted by sexual assault support is available at 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732).