Today marks one year since the Human Rights Commission released a report into sexual assault at Australian Universities, and the University of Newcastle is making strides in addressing the issue.
The report revealed as many as one in five students from the countries top 39 institutions experienced sexual harassment in 2016.
Since then, over 100 Newcastle university staff have been trained in how to respond to reports of the incidents.
Professor Liz Burd says there's also been a range of other strategies taken such as a compulsory consent matters course for all students.
Professor Burd is delivering a seminar to university staff today aiming to strengthen awareness among educators through an online training module on responding to disclosures of sexual violence.
The Respect. Now. Always. initiative was a strategy put in place to deliver meaningful
change.
"It's about a community solution not just about identifying potential perpetrators," says Professor Burd.
The university hopes to build upon the achievements of the past year.
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| The University of Newcastle Campus. Photo: Newcastle Herald |
