UniSC is committed to ensuring our campuses are safe environments where students, staff and all of the UniSC community feel welcome and respected. The Respect. Now. Always. campaign raises awareness in the UniSC community of the role we all have in promoting fairer, safer and respectful campuses.
We all have a right to live free from harassment, assault, bullying and discrimination. Any member of the UniSC community who has experienced or witnessed any concerning behaviours is encouraged to contact Safer Communities to seek support or report your concerns.
Our safe campuses commitment in action
In the past five years, we've implemented a range of actions, which include:
- developing the Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships (Students) - Governing Policy and Procedures,
- implementing the UniSC Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Action Plan 2020-2022,
- updating staff guidelines for supporting students who disclose they have experienced sexual assault and/or sexual harassment,
- establishing the UniSC Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Taskforce,
- establishing a Safer Community Unit, with SafeUniSC and Safer Communities
- establishing a single point of contact in Safer Communities with specialist-trained staff for students seeking support and making reports,
- implementing the Respect at UniSC training module for all commencing students, creating a shared understanding of consent, bystander intervention and respectful relationships,
- implementing the SafeZone app for emergency responses - the app connects students and staff with the SafeUniSC team or emergency services, and
- delivering ongoing First Responder training to staff and student leaders.
UniSC Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Action Plan
The UniSC Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) Action Plan 2020-2022 continues our commitment to safe, respectful campuses based on four key pillars:
The SASH Taskforce, chaired by the PVC (Students) and with student and staff representation from across UniSC, has responsibility for guiding the implementation of the SASH Action Plan, including decision-making, monitoring and evaluation of actions.
UniSC initiatives include training and awareness-raising activities, such as promoting consent, respectful relationships, bystander intervention, and student and staff responsibilities to provide a safe learning and working environment.
UniSC widely disseminates information about sexual assault and sexual harassment support and reporting processes for staff and students.
The SASH Taskforce monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of SASH Action Plan activities and will continue to update actions to address evaluation recommendations.
UniSC students participated in Universities Australia's 2021 National Student Safety Survey
The development of the SASH Action Plan was informed by the recommendations set out in:
- The AHRC Change the Course Report (2017)
- Universities Australia 10-Point Action Plan (2017) in response to the national student survey on sexual assault and sexual harassment
- TEQSA Good Practice Note: Preventing and responding to sexual assault and sexual harassment in the Australian higher education sector (2020).
The SASH Taskforce is responsible for the implementation of the Action Plan, which will be updated progressively, and as other matters become apparent.