Just over half of university students have been sexually harassed and seven per cent sexually assaulted on at least one occasion.
The finding is contained in an Australian Human Rights Commission report based on a national survey of more than 30,000 students attending 39 institutions.
Women experienced sexual assault and harassment at disproportionately higher rates than men.
And men were overwhelmingly the perpetrators of both sexual assault and sexual harassment cases reported by students to the commission.
"A significant proportion of students who were sexually assaulted or sexually harassed knew the perpetrator, who was most likely to be a fellow student from their university," the report said.
"It is clear from the survey that women experience sexual assault and sexual harassment at disproportionately higher rates than men: they were almost twice as likely to be harassed in 2016 and more than three times as likely to be sexually assaulted in 2015 or 2016," the report said.
The findings
- 51 per cent of university students sexually harassed at least once in 2016.
- One in four students was harassed in a university setting (on campus, while travelling to university, at a university-endorsed social event or in university employment).
- One in three harassment incidents happened on university grounds or in classrooms.
- 6.9 per cent were sexually assaulted (about one in 15).
- 1.6 per cent of students were assaulted in a university setting (almost one in four of the total who were sexually assaulted).
- One in five of these assaults happened at university or residence social events.
- Women almost twice as likely as men to be harassed, and more than three times as likely to be assaulted.
- Men overwhelmingly reported as the perpetrators.
- 51 per cent of those who reported assault or harassment knew the perpetrator - most likely to be a fellow student.
- 94 per cent of those harassed and 87 per cent of those assaulted at university did not make a formal complaint or report.
- Six in 10 students said they didn't know how to formally report or complain about incidents.
Universities have failed on rape culture: students
Students have accused universities of allowing rape cultures to develop on campuses around the country.
A landmark national survey into sexual assault and harassment of university students released on Tuesday shows widespread prevalence and great reluctance to report assaults to institutions.
The National Union of Students said students fought for the survey to happen and now saw their lived experiences in concrete data.
"Universities can no longer bury their heads in the sand and ignore sexual assault and harassment," NUS women's officer Abby Stapleton said.
"The prevalence of gendered violence on campus has become so great, universities need to fess up and acknowledge that they have failed to protect students, and allowed rape culture to manifest on campus."
52 students sexually assaulted on campus: ANU
The student union wants universities to establish a national complaints and compliance mechanism and maintain comprehensive records of assault and harassment reports. Women's rights organisation ActionAid Australian said the numbers in the survey were devastating but not surprising.
"It is unacceptable that a country as wealthy as Australia has failed to take sufficient action in funding services that are critical to keeping women safe in public spaces," executive director Michelle Higelin said.
Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
National 24-hour support line for university students 1800 572 224, with access to Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia counsellors (until November 30).
National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT. In an emergency call triple-zero.
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