Sex assaults at university reported by 1.6pc of students

One in 14 university students has been sexually assaulted over the past two years, a harrowing report shows.

Universities Australia chair Margaret Gardner. Picture: John Feder

A long-awaited report on sexual assault and harassment at universities has found 1.6 per cent of students reported sexual assault in a university setting in the past two years and 26 per cent said they were sexually harassed in 2016.

However, the report, released yesterday by the Australian Human Rights Commission, does not support the rhetoric of “rape culture” on campuses and fails to spell out whether sexual assault is more prevalent at universities than elsewhere.

The report, the result of 30 years of campaigning by students, attracted 1849 submissions — more than any other single investigation by the commission.

Overall, the survey of more than 30,000 students found 51 per cent experienced sexual harassment last year and 6.9 per cent had been sexually ­assaulted in the past two years across all aspects of their lives. The survey defined sexual harassment as inappropriate staring or leering that made a student feel intimidated, sex­ually suggestive comments or jokes that offended students, intrusive questions about pri­vate lives or physical appear­ance that created offence, or inappro­priate physical contact.

The report found 1.6 per cent of respondents said they had been sexually assaulted in “university settings”. The report’s broad definition of university settings included travel to and from campus, as well as off-campus events ­endorsed by universities.

“To put that in context, in a lecture theatre containing 100 students, at least one and possibly two students has been sexually ­assaulted in the past year,” Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins said. “And 21 of those students were sexually harassed in the past year.”

About two-thirds of victims were women, with residential college occupants particularly at risk.

People living in university-owned or affiliated accommodation — just 7 per cent of students — reported 34 per cent of assaults.

Australian National University had the highest rate of student sexual assault reported at university, followed by Charles Sturt, Bond, Southern Cross and Sydney universities.

National Union of Students president Sophie Johnston, who said she had experienced sexual assault, warned universities against “congratulating themselves” for having lower rates than their neighbours. “Every sexual assault is a ­tragedy,” she said.

Ms Jenkins cited accounts of new students abused during their first week at university, and sometimes on their first day. Perpetrators were mostly students, including senior student leaders during orientation week camps and “close friends who they ­trusted”.

One submission recounted the case of a residential college student whose friend plied her with drinks then offered to take her back to her dormitory when she felt unwell.

“Instead, he took her to his room,” Ms Jenkins said. “She woke up to find her friend ­sexually assaulting her.

“This was an experience we heard again and again.”

The report offers nine recommendations for universities and residential halls, including a ­review of sexual assault policies, three-yearly surveys, better monitoring of reports and an audit of counselling services.

Additional reporting: Julie Hare