A sexual harassment campaign should be set up at the University were four per cent of students listed that it was one of the crimes present on campus.

The campaign should also be backed up with awareness about the availability of services for abuse victims, according to the Criminology Student’s Association first crime-on-campus survey.

Criminology students Abigail Cremona and Kayleigh Williams explained that as part of the research they interviewed a victim of harassment who told them about how her tutor had asked her to remove her top to demonstrate aspects of anatomy.

The tutor also touched her but she did not file a report since she feared being labelled a liar or being expelled.

The students presented their finding and recommendations this morning during a Criminology national conference organised by the Malta Criminology Association.

According to the student research, 69 per cent of students believed that crime on campus was a reality while the rest believed it was a myth. 12.8 per cent said they had been victims of crime with the main crimes perceived as present were theft followed by vandalism. Other offences included plagiarism, drug-use and sexual harassment,

47 per cent of students believed campus was a safe place while 31 per cent were not sure. As forms of combating crime they recommended: improving security guard presence and CCTVs, having more lockers in the library and educating victims on prevention.

The study concluded that there was a need for more awareness among students on matters including plagiarism, sexual harassment and drugs.