The Hunting Ground

Uni Residences: Invest in training to prevent sexual assault

Young women attending universities are being sexually assaulted at horrifying rates - and a recent Australian Human Rights Commission report shows that those living in uni residences are at a particularly high risk.

Training in consent and sexual violence is absolutely critical to address sexual violence on campus. Students should be taught about informed and active consent; how to intervene safely if they think someone else might be unsafe; and how to respond if one of their friends discloses that they've been assaulted.

Can you join the call for university residences to do everything possible to create a safe environment for students -- starting with training all students and relevant staff in consent and the prevention of sexual assault?

You can view the results of Fair Agenda's 2018 residence training survey here.

*If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 for 24/7 support.

 

Find out more (click to view)

A Human Rights Commission Report into sexual violence on campus revealed that 1 in 10 female university students had been sexually assaulted in 2015 or 2016, and that women living on campus are at particularly high risk.
Only 7% of students were living on campus in 2015/16. But those students made up 34% of those who were sexually assaulted in the same two year period.

Why do we need training? Too many students don’t know what it means to get informed consent; and genuinely want to know more about how to have good, consensual sex. They need the tools to understand how to ethically approach decision making around their sexual relationships; and also how to safely intervene if they think a friend might be at risk. What’s more, students say that staff dealing with disclosures often don’t know how to respond - training welfare staff is important to ensure that a student who has worked up the courage to come forward isn't re-traumatised by the process. 

3,784 SIGNATURES SO FAR

Sign the petition

Dear Australian university residences,

We are calling on all university residences to do everything possible to prevent sexual assault on campuses across Australia.

We urge every university residence to ensure that all students and relevant campus staff are provided with best-practice training in sexual consent and prevention of sexual assault.

Signed,

* required fields

Latest activity

Ann , 2790  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:19:24 +1100
Ian , 2529  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:18:02 +1100
"Because the world seems to have gone totally mad, when did all this violence against women get started, I must have been kept under a mushroom while the rest of the world went by ?? absolutely insanity. We must all stand together to have the proper awareness & training provided everywhere to get back to a normal, all people are equal & protected"
Hillary , 2612  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:14:56 +1100
"One of my close friends was sexually assaulted in a campus residence, reported her assault and was told the perpetrator would be staying at the residence, and if she wanted to leave they would help her. She changed unis as a result."
Margaret , 2548  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:14:41 +1100
"It is important that universities provide a safe environment for students in their residences"
Joy , 5070  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:12:39 +1100
Andrea , 2233  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:12:04 +1100
"Andrea Harrison"
Asha , 2066  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:07:38 +1100
Isabel , 2092  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:07:31 +1100
"I’ve had close friends experience severe sexual harassment, bordering on assault. The perpetrator received practically no punishment, and continues to live at a university residence."
Jessica , 5067  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:07:05 +1100
Kelli , 2604  /  signed 2016-10-10 21:06:16 +1100
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