The fraction of students who say they have been sexually harassed at any time while enrolled at the University of Hawaii at Manoa rose to 17.2% from 13.1% two years earlier, according to survey data released Friday.

But the figure remains well below the 41.8% of students who reported such harassment in a similar 2019 survey of 33 research universities conducted by the Association of American Universities. The UH survey, by Omnitrak Group, was modeled on the national one and used the same experts as consultants.

“This is a problem for the entire nation,” UH President David Lassner said Friday. “It is not just a problem for Hawaii, and it is definitely not just a problem for our university or other universities.”

“Optimal learning outcomes are nearly impossible to achieve if students are being harassed or worse, and we are committed to providing an equitable environment in which students can focus on their studies,” he said.

The UH Student Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Harassment and Gender-based Violence asked students “questions about their whole lives, not just their experiences on campus,” Lassner noted, adding that addressing the problem requires a communitywide effort.

The survey was conducted across the statewide UH system, with detailed data reported for each of the 10 campuses. UH Manoa’s results are most comparable to the national survey, the AAU Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct, since it focused on research universities.

About 6,300 students, or 15.5% of the UH system’s adult students, took the 143-question survey from late January through February 2019.

It covered four topics: sexual harassment and gender-related violence; how students felt about the university’s response; their perceptions of campus safety; and awareness of “policies, processes and programs” on the subject.

Across the 10-campus system, 12.7% of students reported being sexually harassed in 2019, a lower rate than at the flagship campus.

The most common harassment cited was offensive remarks or stories, or inappropriate comments regarding body, appearance or sexual activity. In the vast majority of instances, the perpetrator was a fellow student.

Rates of nonconsensual sexual contact reported by survey respondents remained relatively constant at UH Manoa: 10.7% in 2019 as compared with 10.2% in 2017. Nationally, the figure was 13%. Across the 10- campus UH system, the rate rose to 7.2% from 6.3% over the two years.

Just 30% of the incidents of nonconsensual sexual contact took place on a UH campus or at a university-associated off-campus property.

Stalking and intimate- partner violence ticked upward at UH Manoa and systemwide. Across the 10 campuses, 21.3% of students who had intimate relationships said they had experienced partner violence, broadly defined, both on or off campus since enrolling at UH. That was up from 19.1% in 2017. UH Manoa had similar rates: 21.9% in 2019, up from 19.8% two years ago.

The most common tactics used, in descending order, were a partner who controlled how others saw the student; tried to control the students’ relationships, social activities or actions; threatened physical harm; or used physical force.

The 2019 UH survey, in response to student feedback, defined intimate-partner violence and stalking more broadly than the national survey and spelled out specific examples. So comparisons with the AAU survey are problematic. The national rate of students reporting intimate partner violence — 10% — was half the UH rate.

The UH report drills down into the many consequences students said they experienced as a result of intimate-partner violence, including numerous specific emotional, academic, social and physical changes, from feeling helpless to dropping classes to thinking about suicide.

“The data is different on each campus,” Lassner said. “Each campus can look what’s going on on its campus and respond accordingly.”

Altogether, 10.6% of UH students systemwide reported being stalked at some point since enrolling, compared with 9.7% two years ago. Typical stalking tactics were unwanted phone calls; spreading rumors; sending emails, voicemails or texts; or showing up unwanted. The behavior had to be done in a way “that made you afraid for your personal safety or caused you emotional distress.”

At UH Manoa the stalking rate was 13.6%, far outpacing the national rate of 5.8%, although the definitions varied.

Officials suggest that the increased reports of sexual harassment over the last two years stem in part from broader public knowledge of the problem.

“The #MeToo movement is creating greater awareness, and with greater awareness comes more willingness to report,” said Chris Kam, president of Omnitrak Group, which conducted the student survey.

Lassner agreed: “We do expect the numbers to go up over time just because of the increased awareness, training. … We hope the numbers will go down.”

As for campus safety, 86.3% of UH students said they felt little to no risk of sexual harassment or assault across the 10 campuses. And 86% said they were aware of UH resources for students experiencing gender-based violence.

“The biennial studies provide the data we need to understand where we have issues and, over time, how we are doing in addressing them,” Lassner said.

“We are happy to see students in general feel safe on our campus and pretty positive about the resources,” he added. “They know we have resources and they know where to go.”

The data in the 246-page report will be used to guide policy and gauge how UH is meeting its obligations under the Violence Against Women Act and Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education. The survey was mandated by the Legislature in 2016.

Compared with the 2017 survey, the latest report provides more information on the perpetrators of harassment and sexual violence, including their relationship with the respondent and association with the university and whether they had influence or control over the student.

Students who have concerns about sexual harassment or gender-based violence are encouraged to contact the Title IX office on their campus.

The full report and methodology are available online at hawaii.edu/titleix/survey/results.

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