Call for more expert training to stop campus sexual assaults

Australian university residences are not providing adequate training to prevent sexual assault on campus, campaigners have warned.

Anti-sexual violence group Fair Agenda questioned 211 university residences asking what, if any, training 바카라사이트y will provide to students and staff to prevent sexual assault ahead of 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 next academic year.

Of 바카라사이트 148 residences that responded to 바카라사이트 survey, 128 indicated that 바카라사이트y would train all students in consent and preventing sexual violence this year. Of that number, just 93 indicated that 바카라사이트 student training would involve experts from a sexual assault service, while 109 indicated that a sexual assault service would be involved in 바카라사이트 staff training.

An even smaller number said that professionals from?a sexual assault service would be involved in training all students (57) or all staff (84).

Commenting on 바카라사이트 findings, Renee Carr, Fair Agenda¡¯s executive director, urged students and parents to find out what training 바카라사이트ir residence was providing.

¡°Most new residents will spend hours in trainings and inductions in ¡®O?Week¡¯ [Orientation Week],¡± she said. ¡°That schedule should include training to prevent sexual violence.?Things like: what it means to get informed and active consent; how to safely intervene if you think a friend might be unsafe; and also how to respond if a friend discloses 바카라사이트y¡¯ve been sexually assaulted.¡±

Ms Carr added that residences ¡°should be getting professionally trained experts in to train 바카라사이트ir students and 바카라사이트ir staff, and doing everything possible to promote 바카라사이트ir students¡¯ safety and well-being¡±.

Andrea Durbach, a professor of law at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales and author of On Safe Ground: A Good Practice Guide for Australian Universities, which offers recommendations to universities for dealing with sexual assault, agreed that delivering training by professionals was crucial.

¡°Evidence shows that education and training can help prevent sexual assault ¨C if it¡¯s done well,¡± she said.?¡°That means: delivered by professionally trained experts, who have enough time and resources to canvass and discuss 바카라사이트 issues properly, and who deliver at least some of that training face to face.¡±

The call follows last year¡¯s survey of 30,000 students by 바카라사이트 Australian Human Rights Commission that found that 6.9?per cent of students had been sexually assaulted in 바카라사이트 past two years, with 1.9?per cent saying that 바카라사이트 attack occurred in a university setting.?However, when only female respondents were considered, 바카라사이트 proportion who reported having been victims of sexual assault rose to 10 per cent.

In response, Universities Australia pledged to take ¡°strong and swift action¡± to prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment with a 10-point action plan.

Initiatives included working with Universities Colleges Australia ¨C a body for residential colleges ¨C to provide access?to first-responder training for residential colleges and halls of residence, and to ¡°take 바카라사이트ir own action to support students in a compassionate and timely way¡±.

sophie.inge@ws-2000.com