100 signatures reached
To: University Vice-Chancellors
We Will Not Be Silent - End Sexual Violence
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Universities need to take serious action to end sexual violence on campuses and ensure a safe learning environment for students.
Vice-Chancellors have a duty of care to ensure that students are not being raped or sexually harassed by staff or students on campus or off.
Our Demands:
1. Commit to the Australian Human Rights Centre’s 18 Recommendations, set out in the 'On Safe Ground' report
2. Sexual ethics and managing vicarious trauma training for all university and college staff and students by experts in sexual violence
3. Create and improve standalone policies and procedures so that they are survivor-centric with clear disciplinary consequences for offenders
4. Trauma-informed support services for students, including an on-campus trauma-specialist counsellor with all materials and services available in all languages’
5. Maintain accurate and comprehensive records of reports
Why is this important?
The Australian Human Rights Commission’s 'Change the Course' report found that in 2015/16 51% of students surveyed reported that they had been sexually harassed at University and 9% of students surveyed reported that they had been sexually assaulted at University.
The report also found that Women Students, Queer Students, Trans Students, Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander Students, Students of Colour and Students with Disabilities are more likely to be sexually harassed or assaulted than any other student.
But perhaps the most alarming figures to emerge from this report is that 68% of students who had experienced sexual harassment at university and 40% of students who had been sexually assaulted on campus DID NOT report the incident to the university because they didn't think it would be considered serious enough.
"I didn't think they would believe me. I thought they would think I made it all up" - (Student, 21)
Universities have no reason for inaction.
Students will not be silent - It’s time to end sexual violence