UNSW Students Against Sexual Assault

21/01/2018

Student Representative Council UNSW today stood with activists from campuses across NSW and many more at Women's March Sydney 2018.

Universities must act immediately to support survivors and to prevent sexual violence on our campuses.

17/10/2017

Important reading for anyone struggling with sexual assault dominating the news cycle and their Facebook feeds

Moderate your exposure and know when it’s time to unplug.

03/08/2017

Words and photographs by Grace Miner CW: sexual assault, sexual harassment, r**e We will no longer be ignored. This was one of the main messages at yesterday’s protest against r**e on campus. The day after The Australian Human Rights Commission released its…

03/08/2017

'On Safe Ground' is a groundbreaking report, and as students we will push for university policy to be shaped by the insightful and student-centric recommendations it makes.

UNSW SRC and NUS Representatives with Professor Andrea Durbach, co-author of On Safer Ground: A Good Practice Guide for Australian Universities in responding to sexual assault and harassment.

This report contains comprehensive and vital recommendations that universities must implement!

01/08/2017

Let's demand real action now. Protest with us at 2pm Wednesday 2 August - https://www.facebook.com/events/214658329058347

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If you or someone you know are impacted by sexual assault within university communities, you can call the National Uni Support Line on 1800 572 224 for free, confidential counselling 24 hours a day.

01/08/2017

UNSW SRC's Press Release around the release of the AHRC's report on campus sexual assault.

“Having students at the absolute centre of action and policy formation around sexual assault and sexual harassment is the only viable approach in tackling sexual assault on campus. This must continue even after media attention has died down” Said UNSW SRC President, Aislinn Stein-Magee

If today is a difficult day for you and you need support, you can call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 737) or the Nation Uni Helpline set up for this purpose (1800 572 224), and you can make a (completely de-identified if you would like) report here https://feedback.unsw.edu.au/reportsexualmisconduct/

01/08/2017

The results of the AHRC report are gut wrenching and today will be incredibly difficult for many strong students. This is a time for solidarity and support. We stand with those affected by sexual violence.

The AHRC Report: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2017_ChangeTheCourse_UniversityReport.pdf

UNSW specific data:
https://www.unsw.edu.au/sites/default/files/documents/University%20of%20NSW%20Summary%20Tables%20V2.pdf

If you want to report an incident of sexual assault, indecent assault, sexual harassment, or technology facilitated abuse to the university, you can use the new UNSW reporting portal here: https://feedback.unsw.edu.au/reportsexualmisconduct/

If you want to report an incident of sexual violence to the police, information on how to do so can be found here: http://www.victimsservices.justice.nsw.gov.au/sexualassault/Pages/sexual_assault_reporting.aspx

If you want to access support services, these are some of your options:
- National university 24/7 hotline:1800 572 224
- 1800RESPECT: 1800 737 737
- NSW R**e Crisis Centre: 1800 424 017
- LifeLine: 13 11 14
- MensLine: 1300 78 99 78
- Eastern & Central Sydney Sexual Assault Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown

31/07/2017

The national university support line is now live!

06/12/2016

The UNSW Residential Colleges are leading the way with providing sexual consent workshops for students and relevant response training for all staff, according to this national survey by Fair Agenda!

It would be great to see these critical prevention and support strategies also rolled out in independent colleges which are trailing behind.

The Student Representative Council UNSW is working with the University towards a similar educational program becoming mandatory for all UNSW students.

Over the last year, there have been increasing reports about the shocking rate of sexual violence being perpetrated at university campuses and residences across Australia. In response to this problem, the Fair Agenda community has launched a campaign calling on all Australian university residences t...

11/11/2016

"Everyone has a right to feel safe and be safe, at all times and in all circumstances.

For me, it is shocking to think we have students and staff who have, or are, experiencing gendered violence which so often affects both work and studies. This has to stop.

I am really pleased that UNSW as a community is getting behind Respect Now Always. All of us have a responsibility to play our part, however small, to strive for a world where gendered violence isn’t tolerated."

I'm for Respect.

Associate Professor Jan Breckinridge is co-convenor of the Gendered Violence Research Network. Jan's research focuses on developing evidence-informed practice in the areas of trauma, domestic and sexual violence, gender issues and child abuse.

03/11/2016

"Live music shows are my happy place. I've had some of the happiest times of my life in the moshpit in front of musicians whose music, talent and presence I truly value and respect. Disappointingly, four times out of five at a gig, I’ll be touched inappropriately without consent by someone in the moshpit who clearly doesn’t value or respect my presence. And it’s the furthest thing from a compliment they could give me.

I’ve rarely mentioned it even to my friends at the gig with me. In society we often find it weird to talk about this sort of stuff. I also feel that the harassment I’ve experienced at gigs pales in comparison with the types of harassment I know goes on every day at UNSW. My experiences thankfully haven’t taken live music away from me as my happy place, but I shudder to think of all the dignity and happy places that have been stripped from other students who are bearing the trauma of sexual assault or harassment alone.

I’m part of this campaign because I want the UNSW community to not find it weird to talk about this sort of stuff - we should be confident in calling people out, in supporting our friends, and in reaching for help when we need it. Classrooms, like live music venues, should be safe spaces."

I’m for Respect.

02/11/2016

"Our attitudes towards sexual assault and harassment genuinely scare me. I have friends tell me they've been sexually assaulted like it's a mild inconvenience, and I've even found myself excusing inappropriate behaviour by my peers. It's so easy to blame alcohol, or think that a boy paying attention to you must be a good thing, and this normalisation of r**e culture is what needs to change in universities.

I think a lot of people don't understand that the sexist comments and behaviours that make us uncomfortable are the foundations of r**e culture. Why do we deserve to feel unsafe in our own homes? Why should we have to put up with degrading jokes from our peers? We don’t. We deserve respect."

I'm for Respect.

Take the pledge towards shaping a safer, more respectful community at UNSW --> https://unswforrespect.nationbuilder.com/