A highly anticipated review of sexism, alcohol and hazing at University of Sydney colleges has found at least a quarter of female students have been sexually harassed since starting college.

The review, by the former Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick, also found almost 90 per cent of college students feel a sense of belonging to their college. However, a majority felt stigmatised on campus due to the poor reputation of their colleges.

Sexual assault support services: National university support line: 1800 572 224 (until November 30, 2017)

(until November 30, 2017) University of Sydney support line: 1800 793 457

1800 RESPECT: 1800 737 732

Lifeline: 131 114

Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636

The rate of sexual harassment among male college students was 6 per cent.

The review also found only 3 per cent of students who experienced sexual harassment made a formal complaint. About 6 per cent of women survey reported experiencing actual or attempted sexual assault since commencing college.

The study involved 18 months of work including interviews with over 600 students and recent alumni and an online survey of 1001 students across five colleges: Sancta Sophia, St Andrew's, St John's, Wesley and Women's College.

The college that's been linked with recent sexism scandals, St Paul's, initially refused to take part in the review, changed its mind a year later, and now says it's working with the Broderick reviewers on a report to be completed in mid-2018.

Who's running St Paul's? Vice-Chancellor said the elite all-male institution has a "deep contempt for women".

The 25 per cent rate of sexual harassment among women is about the same as the rate of sexual harassment on campus reported in a Human Rights Commission survey released in August. It found about a quarter of students had been sexually harassed in a university setting (including colleges, which it said had the highest rates) in 2016.

The latest ABS figures on rates of sexual harassment among the broader society show close to one in five women were sexually harassed in 2016.

What the review found

All the colleges have released individual reports. Here's a quick snapshot of the overarching survey and interview results:

89 per cent of students felt supported by peers and staff

49 per cent of students felt alcohol helped them socialise and make friends

15 per cent believed there was too much focus on drinking at college

15 per cent of female students experienced pressure to drink alcohol when they didn't want to (for male students it was 9 per cent)

19 per cent of students experienced bullying or intimidation or pressure to participate in activities that were humiliating or intimidating to another student

25 per cent of women reported experiencing sexual harassment since commencing at college

6 per cent of men reported experiencing sexual harassment since commencing at college

6 per cent of women experienced actual or attempted sexual assault

1 per cent of men experienced actual or attempted sexual assault

Elizabeth Broderick told Hack that although a high proportion of students felt a sense of belonging in their colleges, a small number of students felt they were pressured to fit in.

This included hooking up, drinking more than they wanted to, or taking part in humiliating hazing rituals.

She also said she was surprised to hear stories about college students feeling stigmatised on campus because of the colleges's bad reputations.

Students quoted by the report said:

A female University of Sydney student verbally attacked me and called me a misogynist pig when she saw my [college] water bottle.

People act like we are helpless if we are female and go to college.

I wouldn't wear my jersey to lectures. I don't want to stick out as going to college.

If I'm at Uni, I will do everything in my power not to mention that I live at college.

'Students may be hyperdefensive'

Elizabeth Broderick said college students had been targeted for 'college bashing' after media stories of sexism in colleges, even when they had not been personally invovled.

"If you are excluded you will retreat to the college," she said.

We have to break down the 'us and them'."

Nina Funnell, an author and anti-sexual violence campaigner, told Hack that some of the surveyed students may be "hyperdefensive".

"When people are still living in that environment they often feel incredibly protective and defensive of their community," she said.

"It's quite understandable when media and others are scrutinising them and being critical."

"They may become hyper-defensive or only talk about positive aspects and not engage so much with some things they privately view more critically."

She welcomed the report but said it had been "fairly sanitisied" by leaving out details of the kind of case studies and anecdotes that had been reported in the media.

'Hypermasculine pack mentality'

The review identified men in sports teams behaving with a 'hypermasculine pack mentality' when they're together and intoxicated.

In interviews, male students said hypermasculinity was necessary to fit in:

"The cliques of male sporting teams at college...tend to be the perpetrators of sexual indecency and offensive sexual advances upon others," a student quoted in the report said.

"This is probably a [result] of their drinking culture, which is extremely excessive."

What's 'sexual harassment'?

Forms of sexual harassment women reported experiencing included:

Unwelcome touching, hugging, cornering or kissing - 13 per cent

Sexually suggestive comments or jokes that made you feel offended - 9 per cent

Inappropriate physical contact - 8 per cent

Intrusive questions about your private life or physical appearance that made you feel offended - 6 per cent

Requests or pressure for sex, or other sexual acts - 5 per cent

Inappropriate staring or leering that made you feel intimidated - 6 per cent

The review makes 23 recommendations including having more women in student leadership roles (over the last five years four women have held the position of senior student or house president in co-ed colleges compared to 16 men), strict prohibitions on hazing, a common policy on student access to alcohol, and eradication of a 'hypermasculine culture'.

According to the report, the five colleges have begun implementing all recommendations.

University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and Principal Dr Michael Spence said actions taken so far by the university include:

Establishing a single point of contact helpline (1800 SYD HLP) to support survivors and bystanders when an incident occurs

An online module to help students and staff learn or refresh their knowledge about consent, respect, good communication and positive intervention

Establishing a new complaints handling and investigation systems to be more prompt and far more transparent with those making complaints about the process, how long it might take, key milestones, and what to expect

The review also recommends administering the survey again in three years to enable the colleges to measure their progress.