‘Not Good Enough’: No Ban on Student Staff Intimate Relationships

Victoria University responds to sexual assault claims by banning intimate relationships between staff and students. However, Massey seemingly isn’t following suit.

Vivien Whyte, Thursday in Black National Coordinator said in her opinion, “It’s crazy that other universities haven’t taken staff and student relationships into consideration really explicitly.” While student staff relationships are frowned upon, Victoria University is the first New Zealand university to actually ban them.

Whyte said a lot of policies addressing sexual misconduct have a black and white perspective, not taking into account that a lot can happen outside of intimacy. “There's a whole plethora of things that aren’t just grooming, which is usually what these policies are tryna target.”

“It doesn’t have to be to the point of a romantic incident, they might be leaning on that power dynamic in other ways.” Whyte would like to see universities question the foundations they have for managing student staff relationships.

She felt policies were lacking in good support networks and initiative to prevent sexual violence. “Things largely aren’t keeping our students safe and aren’t giving them the space to disclose if somethings going wrong … some don’t even know that things like staff student relationships are inappropriate.”

Over 2021 to 2019, Massey received 12 sexual assault reports in Wellington, six in Manawatu and zero in Auckland. None of the reports stated a staff member as the perpetrator. Whyte said no reports of inappropriate student staff relationships is “absolutely not” a reason to not improve policies. “Just because they’re not reported doesn’t mean they’re not happening.”

Thursday in Black campaigns to prevent sexual violence in tertiary spaces like Massey. “I can confidently say that most unis across the country still haven’t nailed it. We’re still adhering to rape culture and victim blaming a lot and you can see that flowing through how the policies are enacted and made and how much resourcing is behind them.”

“The state of play right now is not good enough.”

A Massey University spokesperson did not specify as to whether the university will ban intimate relationships between staff and students. However, they said, “Massey University strongly discourages intimate personal relationships between students and staff.”

“Staff are asked to disclose any intimate relationship with a student to their Head of Department immediately.”

The university has a Harmful Sexual Behaviour Policy, and this year employed a sexual harm prevention advisor. The university’s Conflict of Interest and Commitment Policy includes a section on student and staff relationships.

“Massey University is committed to creating and maintaining a safe environment that is free from sexual harm. All staff and students should feel safe at university and it’s important that we are clear and specific about harm prevention and management,” said the spokesperson.