Sexual Assault & Harassment Support

Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours or any other unwelcome sexual conduct in circumstances in which the person who is exposed to the conduct feels offended, humiliated or intimidated. Sexual harassment can include (but is not limited to):

• Displays of sexually graphic materials including posters, cartoons or messages left on noticeboards, desks or common areas
• Repeated invitations to develop a closer or intimate relationship after prior refusal
• Unwelcome and uncalled for remarks or insinuations about a person's sex or private life
• Comments of a sexually suggestive nature about a person's appearance or body
• Sexually offensive phone calls
• Offensive emails and text messages of a sexual nature
• Unwanted sexual attention using internet, social networking sites and mobile phones
• Revenge porn
• Sexual propositions
• Indecent exposure
• Pressuring a student or staff member to engage in sexual behaviour for some educational or employment benefit, or
• Making a real or perceived threat that rejecting sexual behaviour will carry a negative consequence for the student in education, accommodation, or University programme or activity.

Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual behaviour you have not consented to. Sexual assault is never the fault of the victim and can take many forms ranging from (but not limited to):

• Unwanted touching
• Exposure to sexual acts 
• Sexual images taken without consent
• Any form of sexual penetration
• Any unwanted sexual act including (but not limited to) use of objects, rubbing of genitals and oral sex

Sexual assault is a crime in all Australian jurisdictions.

Consent is when two or more people explicitly agree to participate in a sexual act including intercourse, kissing and touching. Consent to sexual acts is freely given.
You are unable to consent if you are:

• Asleep, unconscious or significantly affected by drugs or alcohol
• Unable to understand what you are consenting to
• Pressured or coerced to have sex because of threats, force, fear, or harm to yourself or someone else
• Under the age of consent which is 16 years in the ACT
• Consent can be withdrawn at any point, including after a sexual activity has begun.

A disclosure using the ANU Sexual Misconduct Form (more info in next section) allows you to let the ANU know - either directly or supported by someone - that you have experienced or witness sexual harassment and/or sexual assault.  The disclosure can be about an incident:

• That happened on-campus or off-campus
• That occurred recently or historically
• That involved someone related to the ANU,  or where the alleged perpetrator has no relationship with the ANU.
• You are in control of how much information you provide in the disclosure form about your experience.
• Lodging a disclosure with the ANU does not prevent you from also looking at your reporting options both within the ANU and directly to the Police.

Reporting means making an official complaint in a documented process. Reporting to ANU means that ANU will review the allegation and decide whether to proceed with an enquiry under a particular Policy or the Discipline Rule. A report under the Discipline Rule is lodged with the University Registrar's Office.

Reporting to Police means giving as much information as possible to begin a police investigation. You can meet with the police to talk about the reporting process before you decide whether you want to make an official report. There is no time limit on reporting: you can make a report no matter how long ago the incident took place.

Disclosure to ANUSA
If you’re not sure what step to take next, or if you’re not comfortable talking to University staff, you can seek support and/or discuss your options with an ANUSA Student Assistance Advisor. This service is free and confidential. The Advisors are professional staff, not current students, and are independent from the ANU.

The University provides two pathways for disclosures.

Pathway One: provides the opportunity for the person who has experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment to provide their contact details to a Student Safety and Wellbeing Case Manager. This form can be completed by anyone: 

• who has a personal experience with sexual assault or sexual harassment 
• who is actively supporting a victim/survivor and has that person's consent to complete a disclosure 
• who directly witnessed a sexual assault or sexual harassment 
• who is a third party (e.g., a staff member providing information/support and the victim/survivor has given consent for the third party to complete the disclosure form) 

Pathway One Disclosure >

Pathway Two: provides the opportunity to complete a de-identified disclosure. This form can be completed by anyone: 

• who has a personal experience with sexual assault or sexual harassment but does not want to identify themselves or does not want contact from a Student Safety and Wellbeing Case Manager at this stage 
• who has received a disclosure but does not have the consent of the victim/survivor to provide identifying information 
• who is aware that sexual assault/sexual harassment has occurred and wants to inform the ANU for the purposes of data collection 

Pathway Two Disclosure >

Support to those that have experienced sexual assault and/ or sexual harassment is provided through the ANU Student Safety and Wellbeing team. student.wellbeing@anu.edu.au
 
Disclosure to ANUSA
If you’re not sure what step to take next, or if you’re not comfortable talking to University staff, you can seek support and/or discuss your options with an ANUSA Student Assistance Advisor. This service is free and confidential. The Advisors are professional staff, not current students, and are independent from the ANU. Email sa.assistance@anu.edu.au or call 02 6125 2444.
 

More information about disclosures on the ANU website.

CRCC

CRCC supports anyone who has experienced sexual assault, or people who are supporting others who have experienced sexual assault. They provide free and confidential crisis and ongoing counselling, support, advocacy and information about medical and legal options.

T: 02 6247 2525 
W: crcc.org.au
7am to 11pm, 7 days a week.  

1800 RESPECT

1800 RESPECT is a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.
T: 1800 737 732
Open 24/7