Universities to Face Penalties If They Fail to Deal With Gender-Based Violence on Campus

A new ombudsman has also been created to handle complaints about campus safety.

People study on campus at the University of Technology Sydney, in Australia, on April 6, 2016. Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

A new bill will hold universities and their leadership directly accountable for preventing and addressing gender-based violence.

The Universities Accord (National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence) Bill 2025 requires tertiary providers to implement and report on the measures they deploy to tackle sexual violence and harassment.