Sydney University to launch sex assault reporting portal despite criticisms

Sydney University is pushing ahead with the launch of a sexual assault reporting portal tomorrow despite concerns around anonymity.

To use the portal a complainant will be required to use their Unikey.

The University of Sydney is pushing ahead with the launch of a sexual assault reporting portal tomorrow to coincide with the anniversary of the release of a landmark survey on sexual misconduct despite concerns around anonymity.

The Australian Human Rights Commission released a study last year which found one in five students experienced sexual harassment in a university setting. Almost two per cent of students reported being sexually assaulted with women three times more likely than men.

The portal aims to make lodging a report more accessible and will allow students or staff members to create a record of the assault or file a formal complaint, triggering further investigation by the university.

To use the portal a complainant will be required to use their Unikey, a student identity number. The Unikey will be stored separately to the report, and will be used to break anonymity if it assessed that there is a high risk of harm to the complainant or the community.

University of Sydney SRC President Imogen Grant said the use of Unikey in making a report meant the complainant’s privacy was compromised.

“The portal can never truly be anonymous. A member of management said that they would use the Unikey to find the identity of an anonymous complainant if they believe their report is vexatious.” she said.

A spokeswoman for the university said they believed “vexatious complaints” would be extremely rare but if they occurred the university would take further action.

“Cause 20 of the policy states that further investigation will occur to determine if a case is made and known to be false, or for the primary purpose of damaging the University or the person against whom the complaint is made.” she said.

Students are given a 500 word limit to describe their assault and the form is wiped if left inactive for 10 minutes. The complainant will have to begin again.

End Rape on Campus Australia director Nina Funnell said people who had been sexually assaulted needed time to recount their experience.

“In our experience it is rare that a survivor could recount their experience without taking breaks,” she said. “Many survivors may need to do their complaints over multiple sittings with breaks.”

Other criticisms raised about the portal were a 500 word limit for describing the assault and the 300 word limit for describing the assault, as it may limit the survivor’s experience, questions on personal information and services previously accessed, a lack of clarity around who can access the complaints and there not being an option to save the complaint as a PDF.

Ms Grant said the university was dissmisive of her concerns.

“I am concerned that the University is prioritising the press announcement and cheap reputational wins above doing the job properly.” she said.

“The University will be leading survivors to a portal that they now have knowledge is not trauma-informed and will artificially reduce reporting rates by deterring survivors.”

A University of Sydney spokeswoman said the portal would be further developed after its release tomorrow.

“Following feedback from students, we intend to launch the current version as an interim measure for current students but will fix the issues raised in coming months.”