NUS: Increase in sexual misconduct reports against students, but decrease in reports against staff

Singapore — In its Update on Complaints of Sexual Misconduct, the National University of Singapore (NUS) reported that there has been an increase in reports of sexual misconduct involving students and a decrease in reports of this type involving the university’s staff.

This was included in NUS’ second report on sexual misconduct covering Jan to Jun of this year, which was released on Thursday (Aug 5).

Ten of the eleven sexual misconduct reports from Jan to Jun had involved students, and only one involved a staff member.

As for action taken by the university against perpetrators of sexual misconduct, two students were expelled and a staff member was in the first half of this year. 

The update underlined the increase in reporting of cases among students: “We are seeing more individuals come forward to file reports against alleged student perpetrators,” even as it noticed fewer incidents involving NUS staff.

The increase in reporting among students was attributed by the NUS to its “approach of greater transparency” which the university says “increased the level of trust in NUS, that each complaint is taken seriously, investigated thoroughly following due process, and appropriate disciplinary sanctions are imposed for every infringement that is proven.”

Let year, from Jan to Jun 2020, there had been four sexual misconduct reports involving NUS staff. 

The dismissed staff case for the first part of this year involved a person working in research, whom two students had reported. 

One student said the staff member made inappropriate physical contact without consent.

The staff member was also reported to have sent inappropriate videos to the students, as well as made sexual remarks while at work.

After a period of investigations ending on Apr 7, the staff member was found to have behaved “unprofessionally and inappropriately”, breaking NUS’ Code of Conduct.

The staff member admitted that they made inappropriate remarks and touched the students’ knees.

The staff member was given a no-contact order and was later dismissed by the university.

Among two students expelled, one had been the subject of a complaint of “non-consensual sexual intercourse” from another student, while the other faced two complaints: inappropriate touching without consent of one student and filming another student without consent while the student was naked.

The two students who were complained about first received no-contact orders and later had their candidatures terminated.

However, according to the university, the expelled students are contesting the decision by NUS. /TISG

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