If you or another student has experienced sexual harm you can disclose or report to Safer Community. Safer Community will listen, believe, and support you, discuss options for your support and safety, and assist you in determining a course of action which is right for you.
It is important to note the difference between disclosing and reporting an experience:
1. Disclosing the incident is where an individual confides in someone else that they have been the victim of sexual harm, in order to receive resources and support;
2. Formally reporting is where a student or staff member provides a formal account or statement about the sexual harm to the University. As a result, an internal investigation may commence, determining if the conduct constitutes a breach of any relevant instruments, including the General Misconduct Statute 2009 (students).
If an individual chooses to either disclose or formally report any incident of sexual harm to Safer Community, the University may have to investigate the incident to comply with its legal obligations. An example of this is if the University believes that there is serious risk to others, and the University needs to take appropriate action to ensure the safety of the community is upheld. If this happens, you have the right to choose whether or not you wish to participate in the investigation, you will be kept informed about what is happening, and we will support you throughout the process.
This includes:
Sexual harm is when a person is coerced or manipulated into any unwanted sexual activity like:
Use the dropdown below for more important definitions related to sexual harm.
Sexual assault occurs when a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent. Also if a child or young person under the age of 18 is exposed to sexual activities.
Sexual assault is a crime and is no fault of the victim’s.
Statistics in Australia are as follows:
Consent, or the lack of it is an important part of legal and social definitions of sexual assault. The legal definition of consent is ‘free agreement’. We hold the standard of ‘affirmative, unambiguous and conscious decision by each participant to engage in mutually agreed-upon sexual activity.’
Image-based abuse occurs when intimate, nude or sexual images are distributed without the consent of those pictured. It can also include the threat of sharing images without consent unless certain demands are met (sextortion). These images can be real, altered (i.e. photoshopped), or drawn pictures or videos. Image-based abuse is sometimes referred to as "revenge porn", but this terminology is misleading.
Internal resources
External resources
For support, a member of the Safer Community service can accompany you to any agency below:
Use the dropdown menu below to find additional external resources.
There are several online resources with information about sexual assault. CASA have published a series of information booklets about sexual assault, including:
To access these resources, please visit the CASA website.
Please visit the 1800 RESPECT website for information explaining your rights and options after a sexual assault.
The Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) website has a range of information and resources, including in relation to survivors of sexual assault.
Victoria Police have several resources on their website including;
Please visit the Victoria Police website to find out more.