Students from Ballarat's Federation University and Australian Catholic Universities will called on to be part of a national survey on experiences of sexual assault and sexual harassment on university campuses.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 2021 National Student Safety Survey begins today and is seen as another crucial step in preventing sexual violence and supporting those who have experienced it.
The survey, which runs until October 3, builds on the first survey of its kind which was conducted in 2016 as part of the Universities Australia Respect. Now. Always. campaign.
"Any incident of sexual violence that occurs inside or outside of our university communities is one too many," said UA chief executive Catriona Jackson.
The 2016 survey revealed students at Federation University and the Australian Catholic University (all campuses) were less likely to be victims of sexual harassment and assault than the national average. The survey revealed 14 per cent of FedUni students and 24 per cent at ACU were sexually harassed at university in 2016 compared to 26 per cent nationally.
Ms Jackson said since the release of the 2016 survey, universities had implemented 800 major actions to prevent and respond to sexual violence in their institutions, including first responder training for student leaders, and consent and bystander training for staff and students.
IN OTHER NEWS
"Universities acknowledge the lived experience of victims and survivors of sexual violence, some of whom may be participating in this survey. We wholeheartedly thank students for sharing their experiences and pay tribute to the courage it takes to do so," she said.
"Our universities recognise their responsibility and are determined to build on their commitment to prevent sexual violence and support those who have experienced it," she said.
The national survey will be conducted online and will randomly sample students from universities across the sector. Up to 10,000 students will be asked to participate from each university, depending on its size. All current and recent university students enrolled in the past five years will also be able to share their story anonymously online.
Our team of local journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the Ballarat community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark thecourier.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking news, sport and daily headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News