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Five years on
Sexual misconduct remains a big issue for Australia ’ s universities .
By Eleanor Campbell
Five years after The Australian Human Rights Commission filed a damning report on sexual violence in universities high rates of incidents continue to reported , but experts say awareness is improving .
The Australian National University has published a long-awaited report which shows rates of sexual assault and harassment on campus increased by nearly 50 per cent last year .
This came after a 2017 AHRC survey which found reported rates of sexual assaults at ANU were more than double the national average .
The landmark report , which surveyed over 30,000 university students across Australia , found that 51 per cent had experienced sexual harassment at least once on campus .
According to University of Sydney professor of gender , work and employment relations Marian Baird , sexual misconduct continues to be a pervasive issue .
“ It ’ s not easy to draw a conclusion that harassment would be diminishing or increasing ,” Baird told Campus Review .
“ I wouldn ’ t be surprised if it ’ s not diminishing , but we do know that awareness and reports are rising .”
A 2018 survey across dozens of universities in Australia found almost half of academic staff had experienced
sexual abuse or harassment in the workplace .
Sexual or gender discrimination was found to be even more common , reported by 62 per cent of respondents .
Since the early 1990s , most Australian universities have implemented policies targeted at removing sex discrimination and increasing the representation of women in academia .
In recent years universities including ANU and Sydney University have adopted anonymous disclosure tools for students and staff .
According to Baird , workplaces should do more to support victim-survivors who don ’ t wish to undergo an official reporting process .
“ Not all women respond in the same way ,” she said .
“ There are big organisations , including universities , where a victim – especially if they are in a casualised position – probably don ’ t see HR as the answer to their problem .
“ Broadly speaking , there are those who are able to work in the system , and then there are others who either refuse to work with and challenge it , or it just completely demolishes them and they leave .”
According to the NTEU , nearly 70 per cent of all university workers are in insecure employment .
This creates prime conditions for sexual misconduct , Baird said .
“ People who are insecure in their jobs feel less able to speak out because they ’ re vulnerable ,” she said .
We have to embed this notion of respect for people everywhere .
“ Another factor is gender mix . If it ’ s highly masculinised , and there are fewer women , you do set up the conditions where harassment may occur .
“ That might be because one group feels threatened by a new group entering their space , or it could be because one group has more power than the other .”
According to figures from the Education Department , 86 per cent more men than women were in associate professor and professor roles in universities during 2019 .
The switch to remote conditions led by COVID-19 has also exacerbated the disproportionate impact on women working in global academia .
To explore the progress of gender equality and harassment reform in workplaces , Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins presented the University of Sydney Jessie Street Lecture to celebrate International Women ’ s Day .
Baird , who is co-hosting the event , said there will be calls to implement a respect at work principal in all Australian workplaces .
“ I strongly believe that we have to embed this notion of respect for people everywhere ,” she said .
“ Then you make sure that every policy you have and every action you take starts with that principle .
“ It ’ s not like we don ’ t have the answers here , it ’ s really putting them into action .” ■
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