Taskforce

Education Minister: Act to address rape at universities

Everyone deserves to learn in a safe environment. But right now, hundreds of university students are being sexually assaulted every week, and too many universities and residences are failing to adequately prevent or appropriately respond.

Advocates have spoken up time and time again about the need for better responses - so that university processes aren’t re-traumatising survivors, and the impacts of sexual violence don’t force students out of their education. Institutions need to be held accountable when they fail students on these issues.

Now there's a critical opportunity to secure change -- with a national review of the entire higher education system about to get underway.

A Panel of Experts has been tasked with recommending the changes needed to ensure Australia's higher education system meets the needs of the nation - and and into the future. It has 7 focus areas for review - ranging from innovation, to investment. And with such a broad remit - there's a real risk that sexual violence gets sidelined as an area for priority action. 

Can you add your name to the call for sexual violence to be treated as a priority in this review process?

 

More information (click to view) 

Since February 2018 Fair Agenda, End Rape on Campus Australia, National Union of Students and The Hunting Ground Australia Project have been jointly campaigning for an independent, expert-led taskforce with powers to investigate and hold universities and residences to account on sexual violence.

The latest National Student Safety Survey shows 4.5% of students sexually assaulted since they started uni; 53% knowing nothing or very little about how to report; and 43% knowing nothing or very little about where to seek support or assistance. That’s thousands of predominantly young women having their educations and the opportunities associated with that potentially derailed by the violence perpetrated against them, and further by the inadequate response by the institution that should be supporting them.

This national review has been given an incredibly broad remit, with 7 key areas - including: access to education; accountability on obligations to students; and the quality of our education sector – all areas that inadequate action on sexual violence impact on.

Those of us who care about student’s right to learn in a safe environment, and not to have their education derailed by students and staff using sexual violence, are going to have to work hard and smart to re-focus the spotlight on these issues. The first step is going to be building our people power, and the volume of the public’s call for action on this issue.

 

-Sources-

Australian Human Rights Commission, Change the Course: National Report on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment at Australian Universities, 2017, p 49. The survey found 2.3% of women, 1.7% of trans and gender diverse students, and 0.7% of male students were sexually assaulted in a university setting in 2015 and/or 2016.

D for Disgrace, 60 Minutes, 4 March 2018. New students at St Mark's College subject to degrading, sexually abusive hazing, student tells 60 Minutes, The Advertiser, 5 March 2018.

SIGN THE PETITION

3,926 SIGNATURES

To the Federal Education Minister, 

All students deserve a safe environment in which to learn.

We urge you to address the scourge of sexual violence on university campuses by establishing an independent expert-led taskforce to track, assess and publicly report on university and residences’ measures to prevent, and improve responses to sexual violence.

Signed,

Fair Agenda will email petition signers from time to time with important updates

* required fields

Latest activity

Robyn , 2296  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:15:07 +1100
Rachel , 3006  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:14:56 +1100
Jeni , 3630  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:13:53 +1100
Kathleen , 5152  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:13:34 +1100
"It is appalling that a significant number of university students, often removed from parental support for the first time, are at the risk of or are subject to sexual violence while attempting to pursue further education."
Sheila , 2071  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:13:30 +1100
"My grand daughter will start at university next year and I want her to have a safe learning environment, free from sexual harassment of any kind."
Angela , 3429  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:13:13 +1100
Mary , 2343  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:12:50 +1100
"Mary Vanessa Roberts Nobody should be harassed, or pressured in any way into doing things that are designed to degrade or humiliate."
Rebecca , 3012  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:12:06 +1100
"Students have the right to feel safe"
Karen , 2046  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:11:54 +1100
"Our universities should be safe environments, places of learning free of the threat of sexual assault or violence."
Marie-Pierre , 2015  /  signed 2018-02-22 16:11:46 +1100
"I am a specialist first responder in sexual assault, now working in private practice in Sydney. I am appalled at the increasing number of stories I hear in my practice of rape experienced by young women attending universities here. Rape has horrifying effects on its victims and these can last a lifetime. The mentality of the males who promote rape culture needs to be addressed at a systemic level if this has to stop!"
← Previous  1  2    98  99  100  101  102  103  104  105  106    113  114  Next →