Stopping sexual violence at music festivals

Editor's note

Despite high-profile awareness campaigns, reports of incidents of sexual assault continue to mar Australian music festivals. While these campaigns have some positive elements, there are many other steps organisers can take to prevent sexual violence at festivals, and respond more appropriately when it does occur.

Michael Courts

Deputy Section Editor: Politics + Society

Top story

Music festivals tend to be geared toward young audiences, and may constitute the site of sexual harassment and assault against younger women. AAP/Damian Shaw

How music festivals can change the tune on sexual violence

Bianca Fileborn, UNSW; Phillip Wadds, UNSW

Sexual harassment and assault are common experiences in general: there is no reason to assume this is any different at music festivals.

Science + Technology
Curious Kids: Why can some cups go in the microwave and some not? Eric Cavalcanti, Griffith University Have you ever been told not to put metal in the microwave? Edie, age 8, wants to know why.

Business + Economy
Politicians are inflating the evidence used to justify tax increases Chris Doucouliagos, Deakin University; Tom Stanley, Deakin University A new survey shows economic studies frequently report effects to be much larger than they actually are, leading to inflated claims about policy effectiveness and public benefit.

Environment + Energy

Australia's climate in 2017: a warm year, with a wet start and finish

Linden Ashcroft, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Blair Trewin, Australian Bureau of Meteorology; Skie Tobin, Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Last year saw plenty of warm weather around the country, but other notable events included dry months in the southeast, some very cold winter nights, and record-warm dry season days in the north.
Without culling, Victoria's feral horse plan looks set to fail

Don Driscoll, Deakin University

Victoria's new plan to control feral horses aims to remove up to 400 a year from the eastern Alps. But without considering aerial culling, the plan seems unlikely to get to grips with the problem.

Arts + Culture
The Town Hall Affair brings Germaine Greer's 1970s feminist debate roaring into the present Bryoni Trezise, UNSW The Town Hall Affair is a recreation of a 1971 debate between Germaine Greer and other feminists and Norman Mailer. It feels exceptionally prescient in 2018.

Health + Medicine

Can I prevent food allergies in my kids?

Jennifer Koplin, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Parents are now advised to introduce foods like peanut and egg to infants before one year of age.
Drugs, gums or patches won't increase your chances of quitting

Simon Chapman, University of Sydney

Using prescription drugs or over-the-counter gums, mints or patches won't increase your chances of quitting smoking a year later, according to new study.