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

Jan , 2429  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:10:40 +1100
Jill , 7004  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:10:03 +1100
"I am a feminist. Say no more…"
Helen , 3068  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:09:40 +1100
"At University in the early 60s we were safe. today it is a general atmosphere of freedom and that seems to include sexual freedom and there is huge pressure on girls to participate. They need to be safe and not pressured into doing what they might regret. Also all students need to appreciate the unsuitability assault."
Maggie , 2484  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:09:33 +1100
"This issue is totally unacceptable and should never be overlooked. Regardless of their parents’ wealth, sponsorship or influence the perpetrators should be reported to the police immediately and promptly expelled from the university."
Kalyan , 2075  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:08:45 +1100
"It is essential that the matter be thoroughly investigated by an independent agency"
Noel , 4305  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:07:32 +1100
"Noel Davis was very disturbed to hear about the sexual assault in University Colleges.. I spent 4 years in a single sex College so there was not so much opportunity. All students should be able to enjoy and profit from their University experience free from predatory behaviour."
Susan , 4061  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:07:23 +1100
Anne , 2000  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:06:59 +1100
"A safe environment is expected and essential in all institutions, including universities where parents place their children’s safety of necessity in the hands of those in charge of these institutions. There used to be a phrase “in loco parentis” and while that may no longer be part of the responsibility of the institutions, personal safety for all must be at the forefront of planning, regulation and the ethos of the institution."
Leonie , 4510  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:06:14 +1100
Vivien , 3070  /  signed 2016-10-10 16:05:57 +1100
"University is a place of learning and residences are meant to be a safe experience and college for university students to live away from home. My experience in my second year of living in college was a secure and safe environment for me. Most of the time. Except for once. I was lucky. I saw him and got away. But it shook me up for a long time. It could have been worse. Please keep students safe!"
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