Last August, the Australian Human Rights Commission released its report on sexual harassment and sexual assault at the nation’s 39 universities.

A survey revealed that almost one-quarter of La Trobe students were subject to sexual harassment in 2016 and 1.7 per cent were sexually assaulted.

Read more: One-quarter of La Trobe students sexually harassed: survey

The AHRC report outlined nine recommendations, all of which the university accepted.

A campus safety group, headed by Vice-Chancellor John Dewar and comprised of representatives from security staff, counselling and support staff, and university officials, is responsible for overseeing the recommendations of the AHRC, as per the first recommendation.

University spokesman Tim Mitchell said a separate committee, named Respect at La Trobe, would develop and implement an action plan, reporting to the campus safety group.

The report also called for universities to provide education and communications on sexual harassment and assault.

Mr Mitchell said that for the first time this year, all students across the university were asked to complete an online module on consent.

Mr Mitchell said about 10,000 students had so far completed the module, and the feedback indicated the students had found it “really informative and useful”.

He said the module was designed to not only inform students of their rights when it came to consent, but also their responsibilities.

Student leaders also undertake training prior to O-Week, Mr Mitchell said.

Related: Seeing ‘The Red Zone’: national report exposes O-Week perils

But the university is yet to meet a recommendation to audit counselling services within six months of the report.

Mr Mitchell said it was in the process of organising and conducting this review.

The AHRC asks that universities ensure staff and students know about reporting processes and supports available; at La Trobe, 15 per cent of students who had experienced harassment said they did not know where to turn for help.

Mr Mitchell said the university had made improvements to its responses and available supports through its Speak Up service, a single point of access for staff and students to access information and report incidents of harassment or assault.

The AHRC also recommends universities commission independent reviews of both university pathways and responses, and colleges and residences.

The university was in the process of commissioning these reviews, Mr Mitchell said.

Story continues below document

As per another recommendation, Mr Mitchell said La Trobe had conducted an initial assessment to identify employees and students most likely to receive reports of sexual harassment and assault.

Some staff and students had received training, he said, and planning for more face-to-face training was under way.

He said the university would also make available an online module on how to respond to disclosures, which had already been completed by staff and student leaders in the residences.

Mr Mitchell said La Trobe was collecting data on reports of sexual harassment and assault, and reporting that anonymously to the campus security group regularly.

“We are also in the process of introducing a new university-wide system to improve the collection of all incidents on one system while maintaining confidentiality and limiting access to sensitive information,” Mr Mitchell said.

Other steps the university had taken, he said, included having counsellors linked in to local Centre Against Sexual Assault services (including a CASA counsellor on the Melbourne campus one day a week), and the development of a standalone sexual assault and prevention policy.

Mr Mitchell said the university’s campuses and residences were overwhelmingly safe places to be.