SASH and DFV services
Emergency
Call 000 at any time if you are in need of emergency assistance or you are worried about your or another person’s imminent safety.
National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Line
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment (SASH) or domestic and family violence (DFV), you can get support and advice by calling:
1800 737 732 (1800 Respect) or visiting: www.1800respect.org.au
This is the Australia-wide 24 hour-a-day hotline for sexual assault and sexual harassment and domestic and family violence support.
TRIGGER WARNING
This webpage contains definitions of sexual assault and sexual harassment and some survivors may find this content distressing. Please seek support if you need it.
What is Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment?
Sexual Assault is a term covering a range of criminal offences involving a sexual act or sexual contact without consent.
Sexual harassment is an unwelcome sexual advance, an unwelcome request for sexual favours, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated the possibility that a person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.
Consent occurs when a person freely and voluntarily agrees to engage in a sexual act. Consent can be withdrawn at any time and cannot be presumed based on previous experience. Not saying or not doing anything does not imply consent. Consent cannot be given where a person is unconscious or in a state where they are unable to freely and clearly express consent. Consent cannot be given by a child under the age of consent specified in the law of the relevant state or territory.
Sexual assault, sexual harassment, and consent are more fully defined in the SASH Policy. For more information see the Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Policy and Procedure
Disclosing and Reporting SASH
The Australian University of Theology (AUT) expects all members of its community to treat one another with respect and dignity to make each campus and their online environments safer spaces for everyone.
Any form of sexual assault or sexual harassment will not be tolerated, and the University will assist any member of the AUT community who discloses an incident of sexual assault or sexual harassment with accessing support through referral to relevant services.
How do I report?
Disclosures and Formal Reports may be made by via the online form (please log in to AUT’s myPortal to lodge the SASH Online Reporting Form), telephone or email, or face to face to your College’s SASH Contact Officer.
SASH Contact Officers
BCSA: Dean of Students
BST: Secretary & PA to the Principal
Christ College: Vice Principal or Bursar & Assistant Registrar
CTCA: The Librarian
MAC: Dean of Students
Malyon: Registrar
Morling Sydney Campus: Vice Principal (Students and Community)
Morling Perth Campus: Director of Student Services
MST: Dean of Students
PTCV: Administration Officer
QTC: Registrar
Ridley: Academic Counsellor
RTC: Old Testament & Hebrew Lecturer
SMBC: Director of Community and Student Care or Community and Student Care Coordinator
TCQ: Executive Assistant
TTC: Certificate Studies Coordinator
YWC: Dean of Women
There might be a number of reasons why you would choose to disclose or formally report an incident and you might not be sure what outcomes you are seeking. These can be discussed once you have made contact with your college SASH Contact Officer.
How can I get support?
We have prepared a list of sexual assault and sexual harassment support services which are available nationally, and local to where our students are located. This includes access to translating and interpreting services for our international students and students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, as well as legal services. The list also includes services related to domestic and family violence.
Reporting FAQs
What is the difference between Disclosures and Formal Reports?
Disclosures may be made anonymously and they are not normally investigated. Disclosures may also be made by a person who has reasonable grounds to suspect that sexual assault and/or sexual harassment is occurring/has occurred at the University or at an Affiliated College.
Formal Reports must not be made anonymously and they are normally investigated. Formal Reports may only be made by the person who directly experienced the sexual assault and/or sexual harassment.
Please note that in certain circumstances (e.g. mandatory reporting), a Disclosure may lead to an investigation, followed by disciplinary action. Such circumstances are noted at 6.5 of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Procedure.
Who do I make a Disclosure or Formal Report to?
Disclosures and Formal Reports about SASH incidents at an affiliated colleges are normally made to that college’s SASH Contact Officer.
Disclosures and Formal Reports about SASH incidents related to the AUT Office are normally made to the AUT SASH Contact Officer.
For details about SASH Contact Officers at each Affiliated College, go to the “College contacts” section at: https://www.aut.edu.au/student-support-services/
The SASH Contact Officer at the AUT Office is the Moderation and Inclusion Manager, available on (02) 8937 5301.
When you make a Disclosure or a Formal Report, the SASH Contact Officer will advise you of the support available to you and discuss next steps in response to the information you have provided.
Do I have to make a Formal Report?
No, if you don’t feel comfortable making a formal report, you don’t have to. You can let us know about SASH incidents without having to make a formal report. A Disclosure can be anonymous. A Disclosure can be made by any person who has reasonable grounds to suspect that sexual assault and/or sexual harassment is occurring/has occurred at the University or at an Affiliated College. Disclosures are not normally investigated. And you can still choose to make a Formal Report after you have made a Disclosure. We will support you no matter your decision.
Can I make a Disclosure on someone else’s behalf?
Yes, you can. Any person who has reasonable grounds to suspect that sexual assault and/or sexual harassment is occurring/has occurred at the University or at an Affiliated College may make a Disclosure.
However, please note that only the person who directly experienced the sexual assault and/or sexual harassment may make a Formal Report. Please also note that the University will generally only investigate when the person who was allegedly assaulted or harassed has given their permission.
Do I need to report to the police?
It is your decision as to whether you make a report to the police. You may decide to report to the University, the police or both. We will support you no matter your decision.
However, please note that the University will not investigate an incident where a police investigation or related criminal proceedings are continuing.
Do I make a Disclosure or Formal Report to my College or the AUT Office?
In the first instance, students and staff are encouraged to report sexual assault and sexual harassment to the SASH Contact Officer at their affiliated college, however, you can choose to report directly to the AUT SASH Contact Officer if that is your preference.
How to be a compassionate and active bystander?
Students and staff are encouraged to intervene safely when they encounter instances of unacceptable behaviour. As a compassionate and active bystander students and staff can:
- notice events and interpret the event as requiring intervention;
- intervene in the situation safely which may involve directly challenging or confronting perpetrators or potential perpetrators, distracting either party or getting help from others.
Bystanders may use the acronym “CARE”:
Create a distraction
Ask directly
Refer to authority
Enlist others.
CARE
Create a distraction
Do what you can to interrupt the situation while being mindful of your own safety. A distraction can give the person at risk a chance to get to a safe place.
Ask directly
Talk directly to the person who might be in trouble and ask them questions. For example, “Are you OK?” “Would you like me to stay with you?” “Is there someone you’d like me to call?”
Refer to an authority
Sometimes the safest way to intervene is to refer to a neutral party with the authority to change the situation, like a trusted faculty member, a safe person on campus or online, or the police.
Enlist others
It can be intimidating to approach a situation alone. Ask another person to come with you and support you.
If you suspect that someone is being sexually harassed or sexually assaulted, you can take steps like these to support that person and show you care. Whether or not you were able to change the outcome, by stepping in you are helping to change the way people think about their role in preventing sexual assault or sexual harassment.[1]
Complaints
If you are not satisfied with how the Universityhas responded to your Formal Report, you are first encouraged to follow the grievance resolution process for domestic students or overseas students. You may also raise a concern with the Higher Education regulator, TEQSA, and overseas students may approach the Overseas Student Ombudsman and may seek assistance from community legal centres (for example, those that work with the Council of International Students Australia).
[1] CARE has been adapted from https://www.rainn.org/articles/steps-you-can-take-prevent-sexual-assault