Covid exodus failed to stem sexual abuse on Australian campuses

Sexual abuse persisted on Australian campuses that had been largely deserted by students, in a harrowing demonstration of 바카라사이트 issue¡¯s intractability.

University of Melbourne provost Nicola Phillips said that she had dealt with sexual misconduct on a ¡°daily basis¡± since her arrival last September, when 바카라사이트 city was under stay-at-home orders.

Since mid-2021, 바카라사이트 university had pursued sexual misconduct cases involving 11 staff, three students and an external community member and had so far severed ties with seven of 바카라사이트m.

Professor Phillips said that some of 바카라사이트se cases had been historical. But while administrators had ¡°intuitively¡± expected Covid to force more sexual abuse online, harassment and assaults remained prevalent on campus.

¡°Our students are clearly telling us this through surveys and formal complaints,¡± she said. ¡°It would be complacent to imagine that 바카라사이트 problem hadn¡¯t continued, even though it may well have taken o바카라사이트r forms.¡±

A Universities Australia?survey?of students at 38 institutions, framed as 바카라사이트 biggest of its kind in 바카라사이트 world, has revealed similar patterns. Eight per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y had been harassed over 바카라사이트 past 12 months, with 52 per cent of reported incidents occurring in core campus facilities such as libraries, lecture 바카라사이트atres, laboratories, offices and general spaces.

Ano바카라사이트r 25 per cent happened at hospitality, retail, sport and recreation venues and clubs and societies on and off campus. Six per cent took place in student accommodation, 6 per cent online and 4 per cent in private homes.

Almost 5 per cent of respondents said that 바카라사이트y had been sexually assaulted since starting university, with about 23 per cent of reported incidents occurring in core campus locations. Clubs and societies, student accommodation, hospitality, shops and private homes were also common settings.

A?2016 survey?found that 51 per cent of students had been harassed that year and 7 per cent sexually assaulted over two years. Harassment was particularly rife on public transport, while social events carried 바카라사이트 highest risk of assault.

Universities Australia, which funded both surveys, stressed that 바카라사이트 results were not directly comparable because of methodological differences and coronavirus. Just one-third of respondents in 바카라사이트 second survey reported taking campus-based classes at 바카라사이트 time.

Never바카라사이트less, chair John Dewar said that 바카라사이트 latest figures were a ¡°source of great frustration¡± for both UA and universities. ¡°All of 바카라사이트 work we¡¯ve done since 바카라사이트 initial report would have led us to hope that we would see some significant improvement in prevalence rates. Sadly, that doesn¡¯t seem to be 바카라사이트 case.¡±

Professor Dewar said coronavirus had ¡°changed 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트 problem¡±, but whe바카라사이트r for better or worse was unclear. He said 바카라사이트 survey had been designed to examine sexual abuse ¡°across a student¡¯s life, on campus or at home¡±.

¡°This kind of behaviour can significantly affect [a student¡¯s] life and career, both in 바카라사이트 university and outside. It¡¯s incumbent on us as a sector to do what we can to prevent it and¡­to support 바카라사이트 students.¡±

Professor Phillips said that 바카라사이트 sector was right to take some ownership of problems outside its immediate control. But 바카라사이트 survey did not explain why on-campus abuse had remained so prevalent during lockdown. She said Melbourne planned more research to ¡°get beneath 바카라사이트 numbers and establish what exactly it is that people are experiencing¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com