Preventing gender-based violence at our University

The University of Tasmania is committed to being a place where all members of our community feel safe, included, and respected.

Safety, security and wellbeing

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Discussing gender-based violence can be disruptive and triggering - especially for those directly impacted. We want our students and staff to know that in coming forward to discuss your story, you will be believed and supported.

The University of Tasmania must be a community that is free of violence and where all people feel welcome, respected and safe.

Gender-based violence is defined as any form of physical or non-physical violence or abuse that is underpinned by gender-based power inequalities, rigid gender norms and gender-based discrimination that results in, or is likely to result in, harm, coercion, control, fear or deprivation of liberty and autonomy. It includes sexual assault, rape, and sexual harassment.

Our approach towards gender-based violence is:

  • Zero tolerance – sexual assault and sexual harassment is never okay and will not be tolerated.
  • Preventative – we take a whole-of-university approach to changing the norms and behaviours that promote violence and discrimination. We empower bystander intervention to reduce occurrences of sexual assault and sexual harassment (where safe to do so).
  • Victim/survivor centric – where people feel empowered to make the best choices for themselves and choose their own pathway forward.
  • Trauma-informed – sensitive to understanding and responding to sexual assault and sexual harassment matters in accordance with principles of trauma-informed practice.
  • Timely and confidential – responses to sexual assault and sexual harassment that are efficient and prioritise confidentiality.
  • Not time restricted – all matters will be supported, including matters that are historical (in the past) or current.
  • Collaborative and supportive – community members can seek information and support about sexual assault and sexual harassment from the Safe and Fair Community Unit.

Our Gender-Based Violence Action Plan 2025-2026

The University of Tasmania Gender-Based Violence Action Plan 2025-2026 sets out our priorities and the practical steps we will be taking over the next two years to make our university safer.

The action plan responds to the recommendations of the independent Walker Review, completed in 2024 by Lyn Walker, a highly regarded leader in the field, and aligns with the National Action Plan to Address Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education.

With an oversight committee comprising student representatives and senior staff, the action plan is delivering improvements across areas including prevention and response to gender-based violence, governance and coordination, monitoring and evaluation, collaboration with community and government, and gender equity.

The steps we’re taking

To better support our community and respond to key recommendations from the Gender-Based Violence Action Plan, we’ve made important changes to how we provide wellbeing and safety support and developed a new prevention, education and awareness program.

In the first six months of the Action Plan we have:

  • Restructured our teams to ensure that students have a simpler, clearer, and more effective support system when they need it most
  • Increased the number of case managers to support students
  • Introduced a clinical intake process to ensure students get the right support quickly
  • Ensured greater coordination of our prevention programs through Respect @ UTAS
  • Partnered with local organisations to improve prevention and response mechanisms
  • Launched ongoing awareness campaigns focused on key concerns like sexual harm, racism, and mental health

Upcoming priorities include:

  • improving our complaint processes to make sure they are clearer and more responsive to our students
  • strengthening training for our HDR supervisors around power imbalances and their duty of care to our students
  • supporting student-led programs and campaigns that aim to reduce incidents of gender-based violence.
  • inviting experts from Our Watch Australia to lead dedicated training sessions for our University Council members and University Executive Team leadership group.

Building on what has come before

The work of implementing the GBV Action Plan builds on years of previous efforts to improve how we prevent and respond to gender-based violence. Our work was informed by the voice of students from Tasmania and around Australia. We:

  • Established Safe and Fair Community Unit (SaFCU) in 2017; a team experienced in responding to and investigating reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment, particularly gender-based violence.
  • Increased the number of counselling staff for students and introduced an after-hours crisis service.
  • Rolled out staff and student training initiatives which address consent, gender-based violence and trauma-informed responses.
  • Implemented an online reporting tool and case management system for managing reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment, and other forms of inappropriate behaviour.
  • Established guidelines for first responders of disclosures of sexual violence.
  • Implemented a new policy framework, which included the development of a new student conduct procedure.
  • As part of the Respect.Now.Always campaign, we participated in the National Student Safety Surveys (NSSS) that ran in 2016 and 2021 to understand the scale and nature of university students’ experiences of sexual assault and sexual harassment.

We thank students, staff and victim-survivors for sharing their experiences. It continues to help us create a stronger, safer University of Tasmania community.

Support services

Support and assistance is available to anyone affected by sexual assault or sexual harassment.

Please contact the Safe and Fair Community Unit where the team will respond confidentially and with sensitivity.

Students: Free and confidential counselling is available at Counselling services (student portal). Book an appointment with a counsellor and access our range of wellbeing services.

Staff: Access our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) (staff portal) or call 1300 687 327.

Alternatively, you can reach out to one of the national referral services.

Key resources

Behaviour Policy