Sexual misbehaviour in Australian universities is extremely rare

Sexual misbehaviour at universities is a great fad worldwide at the moment.  There are constant wails about it.  And from the wails you would infer that universities are a hotbed of rape. But are they?  Putting a lot of juicy young men and women together is sure to go astray in some instances but is rape in universities any more common than in the community at large? Among all the hyperventilating, I have yet to see any statistics on the question. 

That rather aroused my suspicions.  If rape really were particularly common in  universities, would not all the agonizing ones be forcing the statistics on the matter down our indifferent throats? Instead there seems to be a complete statistical blackout.

So I decided to do a few back of the envelope calculations of my own.  The total university rapes reported across Australia is given below as 126 in five years.  And I estimate the number of students as being about 1 million.  That gives a rate per 100,000 of 12.6.  Compare that with the latest nationwide figure of 28.6  per 100,000 PER ANNUM.  Clearly, by general community standards, rape is exceptionally RARE in Australian universities. Clever young people behave cleverly, which is what I thought.  I spent nearly 20 years in Australian universities without hearing ANYTHING about campus rape

No doubt much scorn will be heaped on my calculations but surely the challenge is to do better.  I would think that no statistical jiggery pokery would close up by much the vast gap I have found


Three young women have shared the harrowing stories of how they were allegedly raped at Australian universities - two when they were just 18.

They are some of 575 students who were sexually assaulted on campus in the past five years, with only six alleged perpetrators expelled.

Dr Rosyln Arnold, a former council member of Sydney University’s St John's residential college who quit her position in disgust in 2012, said it was the product of entrenched rape culture in young men.

'It's endorsing a pattern that women deserve to be victims, that it is acceptable to denigrate and humiliate them and to act violently towards them,' she told Sunday Night.

She said this was made worse by an environment where women were 'objectified and crudely ranked on social media'.

However, one student who had dozens of men make sexualised comments on her Facebook photos said she enjoyed the attention.

'For me, that was really flattering and actually quite funny too. My friends also found it very funny so we just had a bit of a laugh,' Melbourne University student Sydney Watson said.

Sunday Night reporter PJ Madam then read Ms Watson a series of very insulting comments directed at her - including that she 'is a b**** and has bad breath'.

'Look, I won't lie, that some of those thing are really inappropriate but to me that's the nature of the online world. I think it's all in the name of fun,' she responded.

'Whilst they might not be completely right, I don't think that it's in a serious fashion, by any stretch of the imagination.'

Dr Arnold said attitudes like Ms Watson's were 'letting down the side by saying that it's OK. We don't think it's OK.'

Another student, Emma Hunt, was excited to attend Monash University in Melbourne, but her first experience of university life on orientation camp went horribly wrong when she got blackout drunk at a costume party. 'I remember waking up in a cabin with a stranger. And I don't know how I got there, didn't know who he was,' she said.

Her first memory was a lot of people getting her out of the room. She didn't remember how long she was there for, but she was being raped when she woke up.

Ms Hunt only told a friend months later because she didn't know where to go for help. Her alleged rape is now being investigated by police, but she is still scarred by the ordeal

'I wake up fearing i'll run into him every day at uni. It's quite scary, I feel like I have to be hyper-vigilant in case I recognise him,' she said.

'I never really know when the next day is that I'm going to run into him. Last time I was absolutely terrified. I only saw him for a split second, the most unsafe I've ever felt.'

On the other side of the country, former University of WA science student Jannika Jacky said she was raped on her 18th birthday three years ago by a friend from her dorm.

'We met at college, and we became friends quite quickly. He seemed like a perfectly good you know, charming, funny sort of person,' she said.

After pre-drinks at college and then a bar to celebrate, she was feeling drunk and wanted to go home but couldn't find friends who had her room key, so asked him to get her home. 'It was freezing outside and I was just like, "It's really cold, can I just chill in your room for a little bit?"' she said.

'And he was like, "sure, no worries, what are friends for".'

As soon as they were in his room he turned the light off and began kissing her, before raping her despite her protesting.  'I remember quite clearly saying "no. I don't want to do this. because we're just friends". But he just didn't stop,' she said.

'When I got back to my room I just remember taking the longest shower I have probably ever taken.'

Ms Jacky eventually had to drop out of university. Her alleged rapist was kicked out of campus housing but otherwise not punished. He graduated last month.

'The stress was unbearable, depression just went through the roof and so did my anxiety as well. Um, I also have a lot of trouble with having relationships,' she said.

Olivia Todhunter, at the University of Melbourne, alleged she was on exchange overseas when she was raped by a fellow Australian student. 'I remember saying "stop". I remember saying "get off". I remember saying "you have a girlfriend". I remember saying that I didn't want this,' she said.

'When I went to uni counselling they said that my issue wasn't urgent enough to be available for emergency counselling.'

It took Australia's biggest ever freedom of information request to lift the lid on the scale of sexual assault in Australian universities, forcing 27 universities to hand over records of complaints.

There were 575 cases of sexual assault, harassment and indecent behaviour reported over five years, including 145 rapes.

Only six alleged perpetrators were expelled, 14 were suspended, 11 given warnings, 12 reprimanded, and six 'voluntarily separated'.

Those who were punished by universities were in some cases made to pay a $55 fine, write an apology letter, or do just eight hours of community service.

In the vast majority of cases no action was taken by universities and, against their own policies, allegations were often not reported to police. 

The complaints uncovered included a male student breaking into campus dorm rooms and raping women in their beds, and another given a master key to all rooms after he was accused of multiple assaults.

Staff members exchanged sexual favours for free accommodation, and others secretly filmed women using showers and toilets.

Male students grabbed women’s breasts, forcefully kissed them, spat at them, and yelled insults like 'slut, slut, slut', 'I bet you like c**k', 'bitch' and 'scum-c*nt'.

Victims were also advised that any discussion of their sexual assaults or abuse with others 'could be considered a disciplinary matter' due to 'confidentiality’' concerns.

SOURCE






ANU poll confirms widespread unease about Muslims in Australia

I reproduce below just the overall degree of agreement found for various relevant questions.  The authors go on to pooh pooh their own results by saying that men and women have slightly different concerns etc.  Big surprise!  They also say that education affects the results -- but end up admiting that fully 62% of the highly educated "express 'a lot' or 'some' concern about Islamist extremism in Australia.  Their attempt to spin their way out of their own results is pathetic


We set out wanting to establish the limits of Australians' support for national security policies in the face of diminishing civil liberties. To this end, we surveyed a randomly, probability-based sample of 1,200 Australians – not people who had signed up to answer survey questions for money – and explored a range of their attitudes.

We found that many adult Australians are anxious about terrorism, and that anxiety leads to support for government policies such as the retention of telecommunications data, and the justification of strict border protection regimes as a counter-terrorism measure.

For instance, 45 per cent of Australians are either 'very' or 'somewhat' concerned about either themselves or a family member being the victim of a terrorist attack in Australia.

More than half – 56 per cent – think the Government could do more to protect such an attack.

Almost half – 46 per cent – believe the Government's counter-terrorism policies have not gone far enough to adequately protect the country, compared with 28 per cent who believe they have gone too far in restricting Australians' civil liberties.

A full two thirds believe the retention of telecommunications data is justified as a counter-terrorism measure. Only one third of Australians believe the measure goes too far in violating citizens' privacy.

We also found that 41 per cent of Australians are not bothered if Muslims are singled out by increased surveillance policies as part of counter-terrorism measures. Elsewhere we found that 71 per cent are concerned about a possible rise of Islamist extremism in Australia. Asked whether current border protection policies are necessary to protect the country from Islamist extremism and terrorism, 80 per cent of respondents agree.

SOURCE






Job advert that explicitly asks for 'applicants of Aboriginal descent' sparks furious 'discrimination' backlash

The Left are obsessed with race and you can guess that they are pulling the strings here

Job advertisements which say only Indigenous people need apply have been labelled 'discrimination' by a talkback radio host.

Recruitment and labour hire company New Start Australia advertised a series of casual positions on the jobseeker website Indeed at the weekend.

'This is an Indigenous-identified position,' said the notices, which advertised casual positions in Carole Park, Queensland and Derrimut, Victoria. 

'Applicants must be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent (sic) (pursuant to Section 14 (d) of the Anti-discrimination act'.

Radio 3AW Mornings host Neil Mitchell told his listeners he was torn over the advertisements.

'The initial reaction is that's fair enough, there's certainly an employment problem amongst Indigenous people.

'Then I think yeah but hang on, if I'm not Indigenous and I'm a storeman and I'm looking for a job and I see that I'd be very annoyed and put out by it.  'It's positive discrimination, if you like, but it is discrimination... I haven't seen it put quite so blatantly before'.

The report sparked a backlash on social media: 'Imagine if it was reversed!' said one listener.

'Reverse racism is such a nice thing. Bloody disgraceful,' said another. 'Very Racist against white Ausstraalians (sic),' a third added.

New Start Australia is Indigenous owned and says on its website it 'acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we work'. It specialises in Indigenous labour hire, recruitment, policy management and consultation.

There have been discrimination exemptions for advertising jobs only for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders since about the 1980s.

Warren Mundine, from the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council, said the last Closing the Gap report showed Indigenous employment going backwards.

Mr Mundine told 3AW he understood some people would be annoyed at the job ad. 'I'd understand that and I think that's a bit justified as well

'This is an attempt to help out in that process, get more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people into jobs.'

SOURCE






Qld govt invokes special power for new coal mine.  Greenies wail

Qld has long been a pro-mining State so it is interesting that that continues under a Labor government

The Queensland government has invoked special powers to ensure the controversial Carmichael coal and rail project starts next year.

The combined mine, rail and associated water infrastructure have all been declared critical infrastructure - the first time this has happened in seven years.

As well, the development's special "prescribed project" status has been renewed and expanded to include its water infrastructure.

State Development Minister Anthony Lynham says the decision will mean less red tape for the proposed $21.7 billion Adani venture.

"This step bundles together major elements of the project for the first time - the mine, the 389 kilometre rail line and the water infrastructure, including a pipeline, pumping stations and a dam upgrade," he said.

Adani now has the 22 commonwealth, state and local approvals for its project.

However Whitsunday residents are taking court action in a bid to show the Queensland government failed the environment when it approved a port expansion for the mine.

Whitsunday Residents Against Dumping said last week dredging required for Adani's expansion of the Abbot Point coal terminal, north of Bowen, could do untold environmental harm and the mine itself will fuel global warming and endanger the reef.

Dr Lynham said in a statement on Sunday the critical infrastructure declaration was based on advice from the independent co-ordinator-general.

SOURCE





National Australia Bank bans all donations to political parties and candidates

One of Australia's biggest political donors, the National Australia Bank, has quietly announced it will stop giving money to political parties.

According to the bank's policy statement on political donations, the board of directors "resolved in May 2016 that the making of any political donations would cease with immediate effect".

All of Australia's major banks, including ANZ, Westpac and the Commonwealth, give generously to both sides of the political aisle. NAB's move, if honoured, would make it the first to eschew the practice.

"NAB does not make donations or contribute funds to any political party, parliamentarian, elected official or candidate for political office," the policy document states.

The bank defines political donations as including all monetary and in-kind gifts, entry fees and fundraising activities.

In a further move, any employee wishing to attend a political meeting or activity as an NAB representative must clear their invitation with the bank's Government Affairs and Public Policy division.

The decision marks a significant turnaround for one of the country's most generous banks, which has given more than $500,000 to the two major parties in the past three years alone.

In 2014-15, NAB gave $239,686 to the Liberals and Nationals and $35,600 to the Labor Party, according to annual returns lodged with the AEC.

The previous year, the bank gave more evenly, contributing $45,570 to the Coalition's coffers and $43,500 to Labor's. And in 2012-13, it pumped $130,010 through to the Liberals and Nationals, and $56,850 to the ALP.

And as recently as April this year, the bank sponsored a major fundraiser for Liberal frontbencher Kelly O'Dwyer and her re-election in the Victorian seat of Higgins.

The event, with former treasurer Peter Costello and former Reserve Bank board member Warwick McKibbin, took place amid deepening conflict over how to respond to numerous scandals plaguing the banking sector.

The Turnbull government ultimately opted for an annual parliamentary committee inquiry, which commenced this week, rejecting Labor's call for a much more powerful royal commission.

NAB's manifesto still leaves the door open for exceptions to the strict policy, but any political donations would need to be cleared by the board of directors.

Recent scandals have once again shone the spotlight on the murky world of political donations. Turnbull government MP Stuart Robert has questions to answer after Fairfax Media revealed he defended a Gold Coast property developer in a speech penned largely by the developer's lobbyist, shortly before the company donated to the LNP. Labor called for his head but Mr Robert said he had done nothing wrong.

Last month, Labor senator Sam Dastyari was forced to quit the opposition frontbench after Fairfax Media revealed he outsourced a travel bill to a Chinese state government-backed donor, and had taken a position on the South China Sea contrary to that of Labor and the government.

Neither instance appeared to breach political finance rules but once again raised questions about the fairness and transparency of the existing system.

SOURCE

Posted by John J. Ray (M.A.; Ph.D.).    For a daily critique of Leftist activities,  see DISSECTING LEFTISM.  To keep up with attacks on free speech see Tongue Tied. Also, don't forget your daily roundup  of pro-environment but anti-Greenie  news and commentary at GREENIE WATCH .  Email me  here