Charles Sturt University’s Playing Right, designed by Isabel Fox, was named Best in Program at the the Asia Pacific Student Accommodation Association conference.

Now the program, which aims to address and prevent the high rates of sexual assault and harassment on campuses, will be presented in America. 

The face-to-face course is mandatory for CSU residential students across all campuses and was launched in the wake of the the report from Change the Course.

The report found 26 per cent of university students were sexually harassed on at least one occasion in a university setting in 2016 but 87 per cent of students who were sexually assaulted and 94 per cent who were sexually harassed did not make a formal report or complain to their university.

Ms Fox said the program educated students about consent, personal responsibility, being an active bystander and reporting when things don’t seem right.

“It’s exciting to know CSU is leading the way in this sector,” Ms Fox said. 

“I think a lot of organisations bigger than ours... feel really overwhelmed that this is such a big issue and we’re seeing it everywhere, that we can’t actually make a difference.

“To start somewhere small and have it grow and be successful so quickly and it really is a positive way forward for an issue that sometimes does seem to be overwhelming to us all.”

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Ms Fox hopes to see the culture change over a three to five-year period, but said she had already seen a positive reaction from the students.

As part of the award, Ms Fox was provided with $1000 to attend and present at the Association of College and University Housing Officers’ international conference in Denver.

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