This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A recent National Student Safety Survey found that one in six students attending Australian universities had been sexually harassed and one in 20 had been sexually assaulted since starting university. Students who face intersecting forms of inequality—LGBTIQA+ students, international students and students of color—are even more likely to experience sexual violence.
Much is expected of universities in responding to this level of violence, especially violence occurring on campuses. But how effective are current prevention programs in Australia and globally? Our latest paper reviews research on prevention programs at universities in high-income countries.
We wanted to assess how effective they have been and, importantly, what sort of blueprint they set out for future research-informed approaches. The answer, unfortunately, remains the same—not enough is being done to stop these incidents before they occur. Since the groundbreaking 2015 U.S. documentary, "Hunting Ground," and several Australian reports documenting no improvement in rates of sexual violence, there has been a groundswell of student activism calling for universities to act.
Universities are well placed to prevent sexual violence, but they must recognize that sexual violence is more than an interpersonal issue—it's a structural one. In the hierarchical and patriarchal university setting, power dynamics and inequalities must be addressed so people feel comfortable reporting and disclosing incidents to available support services. These structures greatly contributed to the systemic problems shown in the U.S. documentary.
The same is happening in Australia. Following the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence, enacted earlier this year, universities are now required to implement evidence-based prevention programs. But what are they to do when so much of this evidence is U.S.–centric, noninclusive and lacks a whole-of-system approach?
Since 1985, most efforts to prevent sexual violence in any setting have focused on changing attitudes, beliefs and knowledge. This has often been done through approaches like bystander approaches—strategies that train people to safely intervene when they witness harmful, disrespectful or dangerous behavior. But behavior change has not followed, and few, if any, of these programs have resulted in significant changes in victimization or perpetration.
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