The National Student Safety Survey

TW: Sexual assault/harassment

In 2021, over 40,000 university students participated in the National Student Safety Survey which was commissioned and funded by Australian universities. The survey collected data on the scale and nature of university student experiences of sexual assault and sexual harassment. This survey provided students with the opportunity to voice their opinion and lived experiences toward sexual violence and to deliver accurate and up-to-date information to universities about what is happening in their student communities. Past surveys have been pivotal for universities to create awareness of students’ safety and consent in their university community.

Results for the latest survey will be released in March 2022 and we understand that the findings from the survey may be confronting to some students.

UNE is committed to providing a respectful, safe, and secure learning, living, and working environment for all students, staff, and the wider community. We want you to have an enjoyable and memorable time at UNE. Which involves being treated fairly and with respect when interacting with other students and staff.

At UNE, there are policies that students are expected to follow when interacting with other students and staff. You might like to bookmark these policies for future reference. These include the Student Behavioural Misconduct Rules for all students and the Residential College Code of Conduct for students at residential colleges.

If the NSSS survey has triggered concerns toward your experiences and consent, or if you have experienced sexual harassment there are a range of services available at UNE:

• UNE students can access free counseling through UNE Student Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS). They are fully qualified and registered psychologists, offering on-campus appointments and phone/video chat sessions for online students. The service is confidential and free for UNE students. You can contact them Monday- Friday, 9 am-4 pm, on (02) 6773 2897.

• For more urgent assistance, UNE offers After Hours Support on weekdays from 4.00 pm to 9.00 am AEST, weekends, and public holidays. Phone 1300 661 927 or text 0488 884 169. Alternatively, you can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
• Our team at Advocacy & Welfare is here to help you when you need it – if you need to talk with someone, and you’re not sure which direction to go, please reach out to our team. You’re never alone at UNE. 

External support:

• 1800 RESPECT. Confidential sexual assault and family and domestic violence counseling via phone and webchat. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Phone: 1800 737 732.
• NSW Rape Crisis.  24/7 telephone and online crisis counseling service for anyone in NSW – men, women, and non-binary – who has experienced or is at risk of sexual assault and their non-offending supporters. Phone: 1800 424 017.