It is utterly unacceptable that in a country as developed and progressive as ours, 1 in 6 university students report experiencing sexual harassment on campus, at their university, or in the very place they should feel safest, their own student residences. The situation is no better for university staff, with nearly 1 in 3 (29%) recounting personal experiences of sexual harassment. And these statistics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to domestic and gender-based violence across Australia.
Behind every number is a person whose life has been upended. Every figure is a story of fear, violation, and betrayal. These are not abstract problems; they are daily realities for far too many Australians. It is a stain on our collective conscience, a national emergency that demands urgent, systematic change.
The newly passed National Code is more than symbolic. For the first time, universities and student accommodation providers will be legally required not just to react to violence, but to actively prevent it. This is the right direction, but our resolve must not stop at compliance. Prevention can’t be a tick-box exercise; it must become embedded in the culture of every institution.
This means implementing respectful relationships education, supporting both students and staff, ensuring accurate data collection and transparent reporting, and delivering trauma-informed, person-centred responses. Gender-based violence is not inevitable. It is the result of entrenched gender inequality, disrespect, and outdated stereotypes, factors we can and must address through whole-of-institutional change.
Change will not come without effort and accountability. Since 2019, leading organisations like Our Watch have worked hand-in-hand with universities across the nation, running training, webinars, and leadership sessions to drive this transformation. This year alone, 136 executive leaders, including Vice Chancellors, have taken part in training delivered by Our Watch.
But let’s be clear: this is just the beginning. For every headline and every new code, there are countless survivors waiting for justice and safety. We owe it to them to ensure that prevention is not just a policy, but a lived reality in every Australian home, workplace, and campus.
If we do not seize this moment, if we let these grim statistics continue unchallenged then we are complicit in the suffering they represent. Let’s make this the turning point. The time for action is now.
Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly said the new regulations demonstrate a crucial shift in placing the emphasis on organisational and cultural change that will benefit both staff and students.
“1 in 6 students have experienced sexual harassment, on campus, in their university, or in a residency that they call home, and almost 1 in 3 (29%) university staff have reported personal experiences of sexual harassment.
“No-one should ever fear for their safety where they work, study, or live.
“Gender-based violence can prevented through whole-of-institutional change that addresses the drivers of violence such as gender inequality, disrespect and rigid gender stereotypes.
“This looks like teaching and implementing respectful relationships education, student and staff support, a focus on accurate data and reporting; and trauma-informed, person-centred responses.
“The National Code makes it clear: prevention is not optional, it’s a core responsibility for every higher education and student accommodation provider,” Kinnersly said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732.
