Jo Haylen MP has welcomed today’s release of the Broderick Cultural Renewal report, which lays bare the misogyny and toxic culture in residential colleges at the University of Sydney.
The report revealed that 6% of women and 1% of men had experienced attempted or actual sexual assault and 25% of women and 6% of men reported experiencing sexual harassment since starting at a college. 50% of students reported witnessing bullying, intimidation and hazing.
Ms Haylen has congratulated advocates and activists who have fought tirelessly for change and thanked Vice Chancellor Michael Spence for commencing the review. Decades of advocacy from students and activists has ensured that every college will enact every recommendation of the review and the commitment of St Paul’s College to a review to be released in June 2018.
Ms Haylen has also cautiously welcomed the introduction of legislation to amend the governance of St John’s College, but has renewed calls for the Minister for Education to ensure a broader review of legislation that governs other residential colleges be undertaken in light of the recommendations of the Broderick Review.
Quotes attributable to Jo Haylen MP, Member for Summer Hill
“While the findings of the Broderick Review are shocking, they are confirmations of what students, women and advocates have known for decades – the toxic and misogynistic culture of residential colleges must end.
“Victims have been ignored for too long and have been told before that things would change. Colleges have a responsibility to take the recommendations of this review seriously and turn promises into measurable action.
“We can no longer turn a blind eye to this behaviour. Finally, there must be accountability and change.
“One in every four women has experienced sexual harassment since starting at college. I join calls for colleges to issue a formal apology to every victim who has suffered sexual harassment and assault in a place where they should have felt safe.
“Alumni, students and women will keep up the fight until real reform is achieved and I will be there with them. As we head into O-Week 2019 we must be ever vigilant about finally ending this misogynistic culture”.
“Generations of women have fought for the toxicity and misogyny of these residential colleges to be exposed. This is their victory.”