Australia: New Report Documents Prevalence of Sexual Violence at Universities

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has released the results of a new national survey, which found that more than fifty percent of Australian university students were sexually harassed in 2015 or 2016. Another 7% said they were sexually assaulted over the same time period. According to the AHRC’s report “women experience sexual assault and sexual harassment at disproportionately higher rates than men.” The report’s authors say that the survey’s results are a “call to action” for universities to address and mitigate the factors that contribute to sexual violence on campus. They make nine recommendations to help universities and colleges ensure that “the fundamental rights of every student to access and enjoy their education free from the fear of sexual assault or sexual harassment” is guaranteed.

Compiled fromChange the Course: National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian UniversitiesAustralian Human Rights Commission (2017)