Just 12pc of students formally report abuse, report by universities finds

The Speak Out report reveals that while 1,011 individuals made anonymous disclosures between September 2022 and August 2024, only a tiny fraction of students took the next step of making a formal complaint.

The report was compiled using the anonymous online reporting tool whose national office is based at Trinity.

The data includes input from Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), Dublin City University (DCU), and Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art and Design Technology (IADT).

But it highlights the depth of the challenge in tackling a "culture of silence" on campuses.

The figures show that the most common behaviours reported were bullying (382 reports) and harassment (340 reports). However, the disclosures paint a disturbing picture regarding sexual violence.

Sexual violence and sexual harassment accounted for 25pc of all behaviours disclosed by students.

The student reports included 55 accounts of rape, 106 of sexual assault, and 108 of sexual harassment.

The data underscores a crisis of confidence in existing formal reporting structures. Of the 636 students who used the anonymous tool, only 12pc made a formal complaint to their university or college and 4pc made a formal complaint to An Garda Síochána.

Common reasons cited for this failure to report to the institution included a fear that nothing would be done or a perceived lack of proof.

Not reporting to the gardaí, a feeling that the behaviour was not "serious enough" or a lack of proof were the main barriers.

The launch of the report takes place today at Trinity College Dublin, which successfully applied to host the Higher Education Authority (HEA)-funded National Speak Out Office.

This central Dublin location will now be key in informing future responses to abuse across all 17 participating HEIs nationwide.

Speaking about the findings, Further and Higher Education Minister James Lawless strongly condemned the figures.

“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,” he said.

“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,” he added.

The HEA funds the Speak Out initiative, which allows users to disclose experiences of bullying, harassment, assault, and sexual violence, while also directing them to support services.

The report's authors caution that the data should not be taken as the true prevalence of these issues – but rather as a baseline that is expected to rise as the service becomes more established in institutions like Trinity and TU Dublin.

Elaine Mears, coordinator at the Speak Out national office, acknowledged the long-term challenge, saying: "Tackling abuse requires a whole of society response which will take time, commitment, and resourcing.

“The higher education sector is stepping up to this challenge because we have a responsibility for our students and staff.”