RECOMMENDATION TWO

Universities develop a plan for addressing the drivers of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

The Respectful Communities team was established 1 January 2018 to oversee prevention and Respect. Now. Always. (RNA) initiatives across the University. We recognise that prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment requires an ongoing commitment with dedicated resources focused on addressing the drivers of gender-based violence. Respectful Communities is committed to taking an evidence-based approach to prevention, which includes the monitoring and evaluation of all initiatives and training. They provide regular reports on their initiatives to the RNA Advisory Committee.

• Respectful Communities has developed and delivers numerous training and education opportunities for the Monash community:
  • Respect at Monash module: Building from an earlier module developed in 2017, in October 2018 the new Respect at Monash module was launched for students at Monash. The development of the new online course involved extensive input from our student community, as well as external experts including SECASA. For students commencing study in 2019 the module is now compulsory. This occurred at the request of the Monash Student Organisation Presidents in 2019, and was endorsed by the RNA Advisory Committee. Students who fail to complete the module within their first semester of study are encumbered.
  • Respectful Research at Monash module: A tailored version of the Respect at Monash module, specifically for graduate research students. The module focuses on rights and responsibilities, respectful relationships and appropriate conduct when representing Monash; all focused on the particular nuances of academic supervisory relationships and the challenges that may arise.
  • Respectful Supervision of Students module: Staff who supervise graduate research students are required to complete this module on respectful supervision which will help them understand the power imbalance in the supervisory relationship and take steps to ensure this relationship is respectful. This module is strongly recommended for any Monash staff who supervise students in any capacity.
  • Respect at Monash: for Staff module: This program focuses on the high standards we expect from our staff, comprising three modules which help us to promote a safe and respectful environment for everyone in the Monash community. The module covers three areas mirroring the student version, including: rights and responsibilities, respectful relationships and alcohol and drugs. The Respect at Monash: For Staff module is being launched in early 2022, with work underway to embed within compliance processes.
  • Call It Out module: A one-hour online module open to all students and staff to encourage intervention in problematic and harmful behaviours. It aims to encourage students and staff to speak up to promote equality and prevent violence in the community, and gives them tools on how to intervene and provide the best support to those affected. After extensive consultation with students and staff, including academic experts, the module is set for launch in early 2022.
  • BRIGHT Prevention of Gender-Based Violence training: The Bystander, Respect, Intimate Partner Violence and Gender in Higher Education Training is a peer-led, interactive training session aimed at supporting respectful relationships and gender equality in our community. The national primary prevention framework, Change the Story (2015), is drawn on heavily as evidence for this program; along with data from the Change the Course Report (2017). BRIGHT training is annually updated, in collaboration with peer facilitators and following student feedback obtained through pre- and post-surveys.
  • Flip the Script training: This program, known formally as the Enhanced Assess Acknowledge Act (EAAA) program, is one of the only programs in the world evaluated to show it reduces sexual violence. In a randomised controlled trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine, women who took EAAA experienced a 46% reduction in completed rape and a 63% reduction in attempted rape in the following year compared to those in the control group. The evidence-based program for women focuses on empowerment, dispels common myths for women around their safety in public spaces, while also reducing victim-blaming attitudes in self and others. This program, in partnership with a comprehensive suite of prevention initiatives and sound response pathways, is significant for improving perceptions and understanding of their safety for women and the Monash community at large.
  • The Masculinities Project: In 2019 Monash started researching the development of a healthy masculinities program. Increasingly organisations are focusing on working with men on healthier masculinities to prevent gender-based violence, however research in this area remains incredibly limited. Many interventions for men in existence have no sound evidence behind them, nor are they being evaluated. After almost 18-months of research and development, the project was launched in 2020. Our program remains unique from other healthy masculinities programs in that it’s open to all men, as well as gender-diverse students with an interest or lived experiences of masculinities. We engage facilitators of diverse genders, ensuring not just men facilitate sessions, and remain accountable to feminist literature. The program is being formally evaluated by Monash academics, with findings to be released later this year.
  • Beyond the aforementioned educational programs, Respectful Communities provides numerous opportunities for training around broader diversity, inclusion and social justice matters – all seeking to build our community of safety and respect at Monash.
• Respectful Communities hosts numerous events and other engagement activities annually for the Monash community:
  • Orientation Week campaign: An information marquee for the duration of each O-Week carnival at the Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula and Parkville campuses. The information marquee involves engaging students in a conversation about the prevention of sexual assault and sexual harassment on-campus, as well as providing information regarding support services and educational opportunities (including online modules).
  • Respect. Now. Always. Week: Respectful Communities, in collaboration with students from the Monash Minds Leadership Program, host an annual RNA Week across the Caulfield, Peninsula, Clayton and Parkville campuses.
  • International Day for the Elimination of Gender-Based Violence and 16 Days of Activism: Each year, during the 16 Days of Activism (between November and December), Respectful Communities and Campus Community Division host the annual Elimination of Gender-Based Violence event for all Monash staff. The focus of the event changes each year. Monash has been marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Gender-Based Violence since 2012. Given the time of year of the event, focus has been on engaging staff in conversations on the topic with numerous guest speakers invited over the years. Since 2019, this has formed part of a broader digital campaign across the 16 Days of Activism to further encourage education on this issue.
  • Beyond the aforementioned events and initiatives, Respectful Communities coordinates various other events and activities around broader diversity, inclusion and social justice matters – this includes Pride March, IDAHOBIT, Diversity & Inclusion Week, the Give Respect Art Competition – all seeking to build our community of safety and respect at Monash.
• In partnership with the University Health Services, Respectful Communities oversees numerous sexual health education initiatives to further build the capacity of our students to feel empowered in their relationships. This has included:
  • Establishment of the Sexual Health Network made up of students and staff (along with a representative from SECASA) to help build sexual health literacy, consent and respectful relationships education within the community. The Network meets twice per year.
  • In 2021, Respectful Communities and MUISS (Monash University International Students Service) received funding through the International Student Welfare Grant to develop a series of sexual health and consent resources for international students. The educational resources are all peer-developed and will be delivered through Instagram (@OurSexualHealth) and launching formally for semester 1, 2022 orientation.
• Monash Residential Services (MRS) specific initiatives include:
  • All residents living at MRS or at Mannix College complete the 1-hour Sexpectations training. It focuses on inclusion and respect, safer sex, respectful relationships, being an active bystander and how to access support services.
  • Since 2018, two MRS Residential Advisors from each residential hall are trained to delivered the Sexpectations program to their peers. Respectful Communities conducts a facilitator training program each year. SECASA endorses the program, and the facilitators, annually. Between 2020 and 2022 COVID-19 has impacted our ability to deliver in-person training, however Sexpectations was as a result adapted into an online module.
  • All Resident Advisors at MRS and Mannix College complete BRIGHT training and Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence training.
  • Working closely with Respectful Communities, the MRS Gender Equality Committee membership is made up of MRS residents and led by members of our Residential Support Team and MRS Senior Management. The Committee is peer-led and seeks to raise awareness of the importance of consent, creating cultures that are free from discrimination and harassment and how we can all work to stop gender-based violence. The Committee has been in place since before the RNA campaign began in 2016, and as of 2022 has been renamed the Gender Equality Committee in recognition of its focus on primary prevention initiatives to address sexual and gender-based violence. The Committee hosts numerous events and initiatives across any given year. In 2021, the MRS Gender Equality Committee has worked towards creating awareness of gender-based violence and its drivers through presentations and discussions in all MRS Halls. Over 260 residents have been reached through these sessions. The Committee has recently achieved a significant goal, putting together a successful proposal to have all MRS vending machines include personal care items. This goal facilitates easy access to these products for all residents.
  • MRS continues to promote widely messages promoting affirmative consent, along with other prevention of gender-based violence events, training and messages developed by Respectful Communities, throughout their residential halls on digital screens and hard copy posters.

RECOMMENDATION THREE

Ensure students and staff know about support services and reporting processes for sexual assault or sexual harassment.

Various new initiatives, processes and partnerships have been established since 2017 to further improve how we respond to disclosures and reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment. This has included extensive work to not only promote, but ensure our students and staff understand that there are many support services and reporting pathways open to our community. Progress has been made but we’re committed to a continuous cycle of monitoring and evaluation to ensure this process remains accessible, trauma-informed and victim-centric. Key changes since 2017 are summarised as follows:

• Centralised student general misconduct:
  • In 2017, Monash commenced a process of centralising student general misconduct. All reports of alleged sexual offences are now referred to Monash University's Safer Community Unit which provides information, advice, support and referrals to appropriate support service areas of the University and assistance and referrals to external agencies including Victoria Police and the Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA).
  • The strengths of moving to a revised centralised process were affirmed through the Independent Review conducted in 2018.
  • The policy, procedure and process for handling student general misconduct is regularly reviewed with input from various stakeholders including Safer Community Unit, the Office of Student Conduct and Respectful Communities.
• Introduction of Sexual Misconduct Response Procedure:
  • In 2019, with external expert advice from Worklogic, Monash developed a Sexual Misconduct Response Procedure.
  • The Procedure recognises that nuanced approaches are required for responding to disclosures and reports of sexual misconduct, which includes taking a victim-centric, trauma-informed approach. Furthermore, the Procedure importantly commits the University to prevention initiatives.
  • All reports of alleged sexual offences are referred to Monash University's Safer Community Unit which provides information, advice, support and referrals to appropriate support service areas of the University and assistance and referrals to external agencies including Victoria Police and the Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA).
• New Monash bSafe app: following the successful Respect. Now. Always. (RNA) Support App launched in 2017, the Monash bSafe app was released in August 2020. The app contains specialist, trauma-informed information about sexual harms for our community, as well as covering a wide range of other harmful behaviours as well as key support services and reporting options. The app was designed and developed by students for students, with a project team of students from IT, design, marketing and communications and gender studies. The app has been endorsed by SECASA. Research from Monash’s own XYX Lab was consulted extensively to assist with this nuanced approach to a safety app.
• Online, anonymous reporting: available (through website and app) open to staff, students and third parties.
• Partnership with SECASA:
  • SECASA provides a specialist counsellor two days per week at Monash’s Clayton campus; with both in-person and telehealth appointments available to ensure students and staff at other campuses can access their services. In addition, they provide specialised sexual assault and trauma training to Monash counsellors, contracted psychologists and licensed psychologists.
  • SECASA provides support, information and guidance to Monash in respect to the development of programs, initiatives and digital assets such as the Monash bSafe App and the Respect at Monash module.
  • SECASA provides regular trauma-informed refresher training to staff in key student-facing roles.
  • SECASA also sits on our RNA Advisory Committee to provide expert advice on RNA initiatives.
• Updated webpages for clear information on reporting pathways and support services: various updates have been made, with a continuous cycle of review in place, to ensure our website continues to make very clear the different roles, reporting options and support services available to students, staff and third parties.
• Orientation campaign: we’ve developed an elaborate orientation campaign to reinforce key messages to reduce sexual assault and harassment and provide information regarding reporting process and access to external referral services.
  • Respectful Communities hosts an information marquee for the duration of each O-Week carnival at the Clayton, Caulfield, Peninsula and Parkville campuses. See recommendation 2, item 1 for more information.
• Respect at Monash module: With the development of the Respect at Monash online module, comprehensive information about support services and reporting pathways for victim/survivors was integrated. From the 2019 academic year, it’s compulsory for all new students studying at our Australian campuses to complete the module. This means within their first semester of study all new students are communicated too regarding support services on-campus. In addition, these messages are reiterated in the recommended Monash Essentials module and throughout various other orientation events. See recommendation 2 for more information.
• Other initiatives to promote support services and reporting pathways include:
  • Within Monash Residential Services (MRS) –
    • In addition to placing a ‘Safe and Respectful Communities Card’ in every resident room outlining support services and reporting pathways, MRS has included the support services information contained in the card in their ‘Welcome Home – Your guide to MRS’ booklet for 2018 and 2019.
    • New residents are required to complete the Respect at Monash module prior to collecting their keys, and the key messages from this module are reiterated in both the compulsory Sexpectations training as well as ResStart training.
  • Starting from March 2018, Respectful Communities places monthly half-page advertisement in the Monash Student Organisations Magazines (Lot’s Wife and Esperanto), outlining reporting, referral and support options for victim/survivors of sexual violence.
  • The resource guide What You Should Know is updated annually in a partnership between the MSA Women's Officers and Respectful Communities. From 2018, the content from the University’s Be Aware – Prevention is Protection Student Safety Guide was integrated into the What You Should Know resource guide. The resource is updated each year and includes content on hazing, playing it safe online, sexual health, and support services on- and off-campus. The latest version of the booklet is available through Respectful Communities and MSA Women’s webpages.
  • Respectful Communities promotes on- and off-campus support services and reporting pathways at all events and training hosted by the team. To learn more about these initiatives, see recommendation 2 or the Respectful Communities website.

RECOMMENDATION FOUR

Universities should commission an independent, expert-led review of existing university policies and response pathways in relation to sexual assault and sexual harassment.

• In June 2018, following a competitive procurement process, Worklogic were appointed by the University to conduct the independent, expert-led review. In October 2018, Worklogic completed their independent review. The results of the report commended the University, noting various strengths in our current response pathways, but also highlighted where we have more work to do. Monash has implemented all recommendations.
• After significant consultation throughout 2017, by February 2018 the student general misconduct (which includes sexual misconduct) disciplinary process was centralised with a new Office of Student Conduct established and revised student general misconduct policy and procedures.

• Following the establishment of guidelines in 2018, in October 2019 further revisions were made to our student general misconduct policy and principles, which including the Guidelines being adapted into a Procedure with external expert advice from Worklogic:
  • Sexual Misconduct Response Procedure
  • Student General Misconduct Procedure
  • Student General Conduct Policy
  • Monash University Council Regulations.

RECOMMENDATION FIVE

Support the delivery of specialised training for staff on-campus most likely to receive disclosures of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

In late 2017, we identified different areas as requiring training on responding to disclosures Respectful Communities has offered SECASA face-to-face training sessions on responding to disclosures of sexual assault to all staff and student leaders. All areas identified as most likely to receive a disclosure of sexual assault were contacted directly encouraging staff and student leaders from those areas to attend.

In September 2017, SECASA provided frontline responders training to members of residential support staff, including College Heads, Deputy College heads and Residential Support Assistants.

Monash Residential Services (MRS) Residential Advisors and Residential Support Team Officers appointed for 2018 received SECASA face-to-face frontline responders training throughout November and December 2017. Going forward, all new MRS RSTO and all RA will receive annual face-to-face training on responding to disclosures of sexual assault endorsed by SECASA.  Other training provided includes vicarious resilience training (delivered by Mental Health First Aid accredited nurses). Since its release, all RSTO annually complete the online responding to disclosures of sexual assault training.

In 2018 and 2019, SECASA delivered numerous in-persons trainings on responding to disclosures of sexual violence for staff and student leaders.

Since late 2019, after partnering with SECASA, Respectful Communities transitioned the program into an online module to allow greater uptake of the training content by staff and students.

• The module defines sexual violence, explains the prevalence of sexual violence and why it is difficult for victims/survivors to disclose, how to respond to a disclosure of sexual violence without causing further harm or trauma to the victim/survivor; the key services available to victims/survivors; and self-care.

RECOMMENDATION SIX

Collect data regarding disclosures and reports of sexual assault and harassment to ensure continuous improvement of processes.

Monash publicly details reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment received through our Safer Community Unit either occurring on-campus or at an off-campus Monash endorsed event. This data is available through our Respect.Now.Always. (RNA) webpage here. Six monthly reports are provided to Vice-Chancellor at end of June and at end of December each year regarding incidents of sexual assault and sexual harassment, to ensure ongoing oversight.

All reports of alleged sexual offences are referred to Monash University's Safer Community Unit (SCU) which provides information, advice, support and referrals to appropriate support services. These include internal University service referrals, as well as external agencies including Victoria Police and the Centre Against Sexual Assault.

Monash will assist a student to make a report to the Police and CASA but cannot make a report on behalf of a student if they are over 18 years of age. Monash is committed to a victim centric approach, and will always respect the rights of students over the age of 18 years to determine what action they wish to be taken. At all times, Monash will comply with legislated mandatory reporting obligations.

Monash will continue to invest considerable resources to raise awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment and lift the visibility of support services and reporting options for students.

RECOMMENDATION SEVEN

An independent audit of our counselling services to be undertaken.

• We engaged Monash Council appointed external audit contractors (KPMG) to undertake an audit of Monash’s counselling services in late 2017. KPMG completed their Internal Audit of Counselling Services review in December 2017, with the report tabled at Respect. Now. Always. (RNA) Advisory Committee on 22 February 2018 and published online.
• All recommendations from the audit of Monash University Counselling Services were promptly implemented, this included:
  • Our University Counselling Services, and University Health Services, developed and introduced an automated anonymous survey which is sent to all students attending counselling. The survey includes questions seeking feedback on satisfaction in respect to making an appointment, getting an appointment at a time that suited them and the wait time to see a counsellor. The survey responses will enable the University Counselling Services to plan for and implement targeted changes and enhancements in direct response to feedback which should deliver an overall improvement in experience and satisfaction with the services offered.

RECOMMENDATION EIGHT

Committed to the delivery of a national university survey into sexual assault and harassment every three years.

This recommendation has been actioned by Universities Australia on behalf of all universities. Monash University is committed to being an active participant in all future surveys, we welcome the results of the National Student Safety Survey in 2022 to further inform our approaches to responding to and preventing sexual and gender-based violence.

RECOMMENDATION NINE

Undertake an independent review of the contributing factors to sexual assault and harassment in our University residences.

• In June 2018, following a competitive procurement process, Worklogic were appointed by the University to conduct the independent, expert-led review. In October 2018, Worklogic completed their independent review. The results of the report commended the University, with several commendations specifically pertaining to Monash Residential Services (MRS), but also highlighted where we have more work to do. Monash has implemented all recommendations. All recommendations from the report have been implemented.
• Effective from 2018 onwards, MRS has added further questions to resident surveys regarding Respect. Now. Always. (RNA) and support services to assist in providing further understanding of how successful various initiatives have been. The following questions have been added to the survey:
  • Are you aware of Monash’s RNA campaign?
  • Do you know where to go within Monash if you witness sexual assault and or sexual harassment and want to make a report?
  • Do you know where to go within Monash if you experience sexual assault and or sexual harassment?
  • Are you aware of the support and referral services provided by Monash’s Safer Community Unit?
  • To what degree are you aware of the support services within Monash for victims of sexual assault and sexual harassment?
  • Are you aware of the Monash bSafe App?
  • Have you downloaded the Monash bSafe App?
  • Have you used the Monash bSafe App?
  • To what degree was the information on the Monash bSafe App helpful?
• Further initiatives specifically pertaining to the prevention of sexual violence are noted under recommendation two.
• We’re continuously developing and evolving the measures we take to help prevent sexual assault and sexual harassment within our on-campus accommodation. This includes integrating RNA awareness raising materials, as well as various educational programs and events. All initiatives implemented in MRS are informed by best practice and external experts.