Syd Uni Holds Vigil For Survivors of University Sexual Violence

On Tuesday evening, the University of Sydney Women’s Collective held a vigil in solidarity with survivors of university sexual violence, and to remember those who had been lost.

This comes in response to an incident during a meeting of the university’s Students’ Representative Council on the 30th of October, where elected Liberal councillors for 2025 ripped up copies of a report detailing the university college sexual violence epidemic.

The Red Zone Report: sexual violence at university colleges

The Red Zone Report, created by national advocacy group End Rape On Campus, investigates the deep-rooted culture of misogyny, racism and homophobia at college campuses across 12 Australian universities.

In a statement posted to the group’s Instagram, authors of the report, Nina Funnell and Sharna Bremner said the report “speaks to the very real and ongoing trauma of individual students and families who were named and quoted in the report- students and families who continue to carry the scars of violent experiences at the colleges.”

Report includes instances of homophobia and fear felt by queer students

The 200 page report published numerous instances of homophobia at residential colleges, including the burning of a rainbow flag on the grounds of St Andrew’s College the night after a college formal in 2016.

Queer students who live on campus described the fear they felt at the prospect of coming out, with research showing the common use of homophobic slurs, and the sexualisation of queer, bi, and lesbian women.

The report emphasised the strict regulation of sexuality in colleges, and the way students are pressured to perform heterosexual acts, forcing queer students to conform or repress their sexuality.

Flowers, candles and messages of love at vigil

Over 100 students and community members attended the vigil, where they lit candles, laid flowers, and wrote messages of love and support for victim-survivors. Outgoing Women’s Officers for 2024 and those elected for 2025 addressed attendees, and spoke of the importance of the survivor community.

“There’s so much power in speaking out, in sharing stories, and in standing up to institutional power, but there’s also so much power in healing and building community,” said incoming Women’s Officer Martha Barlow.

“In this fight, one of the most important things we can do is be there for each other.”

Speakers advocate for dissolution of colleges over sexual violence

Other speakers for the vigil included Gumbaynggirr, Dhungutti and Bundjalung warrior and poet Lizzie Jarrett, What Were You Wearing founder Sarah Williams, and Member for Newtown, Jenny Leong.

In a video published by student newspaper Honi Soit, Leong criticised the lack of institutional action taken by the university and advocated for the colleges’ dissolution.

“How many more reviews and recommendations and independent assessments do we need to get to the point where we accept that sexual violence and rape on campus is not acceptable? What we need is the university leadership to recognise that there is no solution to dealing with the toxicity that exists in those colleges other than to abolish them.”

The University of Sydney and the New South Wales Liberals are investigating the students responsible for destroying the report.

If this story has caused distress or raised any issues for you, support is available. Call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.

For LGBTQI+ peer support, available 3pm-midnight, every day, call QLife on 1800 184 527 or visit QLife.org.au.

For 24/7 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support, call 13Yarn on 13 92 76 or visit 13yarn.org.au.