University of Sydney, NSW Liberal Party to investigate student tearing up sexual assault report

The University of Sydney immediately launched an investigation after students publicly ripped up a report into rape, harassment and harassment at residential colleges.

This comes just days after a bullying incident at St Paul’s College, where 27 students were expelled or suspended for “serious humiliation” towards one student.

Footage from Wednesday night’s Student Representative Council (SRC) meeting shows two male students shedding tears and a third throwing pages from the Red Zone report.

The report, which resulted from a 2018 investigation by the national group End Rape on Campus Australia, revealed disturbing behavior at the University of Sydney colleges; including male students ejaculating on female students’ beauty products and an annual event where students are encouraged to post censorious details about each other online. .

At the SRC meeting, the Red Zone report was distributed to the participants by the campus women’s collective.

Councilor Ellie Robertson, from the left-wing feminist action group, spoke in a speech about rising incidents of hazing, bullying and sexual violence, which she said were a result of an “elitist culture” at universities.

“Last week we saw almost 10 per cent of students at St Paul’s College suspended or expelled for an egregious incident of bullying,” he is heard saying, before the room explodes in response to students tearing up the school. report.

Outgoing SRC president Harrison Brennan said the leaflets were vandalized during the women’s collective’s speech.

“While we were talking about the St Paul issue… (some students) decided to shout during the speeches and tear up the Red Zone report they were given,” he said.

The three students are believed to be affiliated with the Liberal Party. The ABC has contacted the Sydney University Liberal Club for comment.

‘Absolutely unacceptable’

In a statement to the ABC, the university’s vice-chancellor (education) Joanne Wright said she was “deeply disappointed” by the reports and expected “higher standards from our students”.

The authority said it launched an “immediate investigation” and that “any behavior that mocks aggrieved victims or ignores the impact of trauma resulting from sexual abuse is completely unacceptable.”

NSW Liberal Party leader Mark Speakman told the ABC he had asked the state chief to “urgently investigate”.

The report includes photos and real names of recorded rape victims and family members of students who died as a result of hazing, said Nina Funnell, co-author of the report.

“The Red Zone Report documents almost 100 years of abuse and rape at USYD, as well as 3 deaths (including one murder),” he wrote to X.

“Laughing in their face is not only callous but meaningful.

The almost 100-year-old student body launched the political careers of three former prime ministers, John Howard, Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, as well as former NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian.