Donna McGettigan (Clare, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

1158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is aware that a recent Speak Out report states only one in eight third-level students who anonymously disclosed experiences of bullying, assault or sexual violence over a two-year period felt comfortable making a formal report to their higher education institution; the steps he will urgently take on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62097/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Speak Out allows people to disclose their experiences anonymously of bullying, harassment, assault, and sexual violence – and avail of signposting to support services. It is one of a range of reporting options available in HEIs.

I commend our universities and colleges, and the Higher Education Authority, for taking meaningful steps to make higher education a safer place for students and staff. By tracking harmful behaviours and abuse in this way, we’re building a clearer picture of the challenges and laying the groundwork for stronger, more informed responses.

There must be zero tolerance for abuse on our campuses. What this report highlights is the urgent need to break the culture of silence around these difficult and traumatising experiences, and to ensure students and staff feel safe and supported when they come forward.

Based on data from the 16 HEIs that implemented this tool between 2022 and 2024, Speak Out’s dataset will be used to inform future responses to abuse and harassment in higher education, and to encourage formal reporting. While 1,011 staff and students made anonymous reports over this period, only 12% of students made a formal complaint to their university or college about the abuse while only 4% of students made a complaint to An Garda Síochána. It should also be noted that a spectrum of behaviours can be reported through Speak Out and not all reports involve a potential criminal offence.

The number of reports made through Speak Out is?expected to rise as the service becomes more established. HEIs exist within the wider cultural and societal context, and as such many of the issues reported are reflective of the broader experiences of those living within Ireland.

Key findings included:

- 1,011 individuals made anonymous reports through the Speak Out tool. Of these, 636 were students and 303 were staff. 784 reported on their own behalf and 227 on behalf of someone else.

- The most common behaviours experienced were bullying (382 reports) and harassment (340).

- Sexual violence and sexual harassment accounted for 25% of behaviours disclosed by students. Students made 55 reports of rape, 106 reports of sexual assault and 108 reports of sexual harassment.

- Students disclosed significantly higher levels of purely physical abuse (17%) while 4% of staff disclosures involved purely physical abuse.

20% of staff and 12% of students made a formal complaint to their HEI about the abuse.

- Students and staff with marginalised identities reported experiencing higher levels of multiple forms of abuse and negative behaviour (54%) through Speak Out than those with no marginalised identity (44%).

4% of students made a formal complaint to An Garda Síochána about the abuse.

- Common reasons for not reporting the incident to the HEI include a fear that nothing would be done or lack of proof that the behaviour took place.

- Common reasons for not reporting to the Gardaí included a sense that the behaviour was not serious enough, or again, that proof was lacking.

In taking action on these matters, Higher Education Institutions implement the Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework, also known as the Framework for Consent. The Framework includes an outcome on establishing formal reporting as an easy-to-use system for students to disclose and report incidents to their HEI, which is compatible with complainant/survivor rights and cognisant of the needs of vulnerable groups.

- Since 2023, 1.5 million euro in funding has been provided annually for Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Managers in 16 higher education institutions. These posts are now in place and are a key part of the response to this issue on our campuses.

- The HEA Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment Implementation Plan includes national actions which respond directly to the recommendations which emerged from the National Surveys of Staff and Student Experiences of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish HEIs, which were conducted in 2021.

- Staff and students in higher education institutions also participate in national programmes that provide training in this area such as Active* Consent led by the University of Galway and Bystander Intervention led by University College Cork.

- Specific actions relating to higher education institutions are also included in the Zero Tolerance Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Implementation Plan 2025–2026.