University of Melbourne Associate Professor Holly Lawford-Smith says she has been slammed for defending women and now is forced to teach with a security presence outside her classrooms.

“There was some serious vandalism of the university campus relating to the activist campaign – or at least we think so,” she told Sky News host Rowan Dean.

“The university response was to put security on the course for its duration.

“So I’ve just been sort of teaching for three weeks with a security presence outside the front of the tutorial rooms and escorting me back to my office after class.”