Rachel Siewert (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator Faruqi, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) 1 August, 2019, marks two years since the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) released the 'Change the Course: National report on sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian universities', which surveyed students on their experiences of sexual assault and sexual harassment at Australian universities,

  (ii) the AHRC report found that 21 percent of university students were sexually harassed and 1.6 percent were sexually assaulted in a university setting in 2016,

  (iii) sexual assault and harassment continue to be appalling issues at Australian universities, and survivors often struggle to access adequate support services, and

  (iv) on 20 August, 2019, students across Australia will be joining a National Day of Action in protest against universities, inaction on the prevalence of sexual violence in university settings; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to commit to working with universities to ensure that:

  (i) university campuses are safe places free of sexual violence, and

  (ii) survivors of sexual assault and sexual harassment are given adequate support by their universities.

Question agreed to.