Need emergency assistance?
If you or someone you know is hurt or in immediate danger:
- call the emergency services on 000
- call Swinburne Security on +61 3 9214 3333 for 24-hour assistance including non-life-threatening incidences.
If you’ve been affected by sexual assault or sexual harassment, you may also wish to report the incident to Victoria Police.
Contact Safer Community (non-emergency support and reporting)
If you, or someone you know, has been affected by inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour, or if you are worried about safety or wellbeing, you can contact Safer Community for advice, support and reporting options.
You can share a concern online, including anonymously, or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au. You do not need to make a formal report to ask for help.
Learn about the 2026 National Student Safety Survey, including who can participate and how to take part.
Sexual violence and harm can happen in person, online, on campus, at placements, in accommodation, at events or in other settings connected to university life. You do not have to manage experiences of sexual violence and harm alone. Safer Community can talk with you about your options and connect you with support. It does not matter when it happened. You can ask for support, make a report, do both, or just talk through what options are available.
What is sexual assault?
The term can refer to a broad range of sexual behaviours that make an individual feel uncomfortable, frightened or threatened. Sexual assault is a crime and includes rape, sexual touching and child sexual abuse.
Consent must be given and it should be informed and free from intimidation. A person who is asleep or under the influence of drugs or alcohol cannot give informed consent. You can refer to the Consent Factsheet [PDF 454KB] for more information.
Examples of sexual assault:
- unwanted sexual touching, kissing or groping
- sexual activity when someone is asleep, unconscious or unable to consent
- being forced or pressured into sexual activity
- being made to look at or take part in sexual images or videos
- rape.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behaviour that makes someone feel offended, humiliated, intimidated, unsafe or uncomfortable. It can happen in person, online, by message, on social media, in learning spaces, at work placements, in student accommodation or at university events.
Examples of sexual harassment:
intrusive questions about someone’s body, sex life or relationships
unwanted sexual messages, images, videos or online sexual comments
repeated requests for dates, sex or sexual contact
sexual comments, jokes or gestures
staring, leering or sexualised comments about appearance
unwanted touching or invading someone’s personal space
sharing, threatening to share, or pressuring someone to send intimate images.
Sexual violence and harm can also happen online. For more information, visit Swinburne’s cyber harassment webpage.
How to seek support or report an incident
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment, help is available. Swinburne’s dedicated Safer Community team can:
- listen and help you understand your options
- connect you with counselling, wellbeing, safety or academic support
- talk through reporting options
- help with safety planning if you are worried about ongoing contact with someone
- explain what may happen if you choose to make a formal report to the university
You do not need to know what you want to do before contacting Safer Community. You can talk with us, ask questions or share a concern before deciding whether to make a formal report. If you do want to make a formal report, Safer Community can explain what that means and what may happen next.
You can contact Safer Community even if you are unsure whether what happened was sexual assault or sexual harassment.
Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment student factsheet – PDF
Download a factsheet about sexual assault and harassment, including support service information and resources.
Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment student factsheet – Word document
Download a factsheet about sexual assault and harassment, including support service information and resources, in Microsoft Word.
Need support or unsure what to do next?
Download the student factsheet to understand your support and reporting options. You can also contact Safer Community for non-emergency advice and support. Share your concerns online or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au.
Seek advice and support
You can ask for support at any time. You do not need to make a formal report to get help. Safer Community can help you understand your options and connect you with services.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000. For 24/7 on-campus assistance, call Swinburne Security on 03 9214 3333.
Safer Community
You can contact Safer Community for advice, support and reporting options. You can get in touch even if you are unsure what happened, unsure whether you want to make a report, or are worried about someone else.
Share a concern online (anonymous option available) or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au.
Counselling via the Health service
Counselling can provide a safe space to talk about what has happened. Book an appointment online or call +61 392 148 483.
Emergency or immediate danger
Victoria Police, Sexual Offence And Child Abuse Investigations Team (SOCIT)
National emergency response and reporting.
In emergencies call 000
www.police.vic.gov.au (search for SOCIT)
Sexual assault, domestic and family violence support f
1800RESPECT
Available 24/7
1800RESPECT is the national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service.
1800 737 732
https://1800respect.org.au/
Victorian Sexual Assault Crisis Line
For confidential crisis counselling outside business hours.
1800 806 292
https://www.sacl.com.au/
Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault (ECASA)
Available during business hours and 24/7 for recent incidents
+61 3 9870 7330
ecasa@easternhealth.org.au
https://www.easternhealth.org.au/service/ecasa/
Safe Steps
Available 24/7
Safe Steps is a confidential and supportive family violence response line for Victoria.
1800 015 188
https://safesteps.org.au/
InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence
InTouch is a specialist family violence service that works with multicultural women, their families, and their communities.
Available during business hours
1800 755 988
http://www.intouch.org.au/
Culturally safe and inclusive specialist support
13YARN
Available 24/7
Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping.
13 92 76
https://www.13yarn.org.au/
Rainbow Door
Rainbow Door is a free specialist LGBTIQ+ helpline providing information, support, and referral to all LGBTIQ+ Victorians, their friends and family.
Available during business hours
1800 729 367
https://www.rainbowdoor.org.au/
Kids Helpline
Counselling service for Australian children and young people aged between five and 25 years.
Available 24/7
1800 551 800
http://www.kidshelpline.com.au/
Support for people worried about their own behaviour
Men’s Referral Service
Support for men who are concerned about their use of anger, control or violence.
Available 24/7
1300 766 491
https://mrs.org.au/get-help/
Online safety support
eSafety Commissioner
Advice, reporting options and support for online abuse, image-based abuse, cyberbullying and other online safety concerns.
The Student Wellbeing Support Line provides 24/7 brief counselling support, including overnight, weekends and public holidays. Call 1300 854 144 or text +61 488 884 145.
For more after-hours, crisis and wellbeing support options, visit Swinburne’s 24/7 support webpage.
Report the incident
You can ask for support or share a concern with Safer Community without making a formal report. If you decide to make a formal report, Safer Community can explain what may happen next.
You can report an incident to Safer Community, Victoria Police, or both. You can also contact Safer Community to talk through your options before deciding whether to make a formal report.
Safer Community will listen, explain options and help connect you with support. You can bring a personal support person or Advocate to any conversations with Safer Community. We will respect your privacy as much as possible. In some situations, Swinburne may need to take action to help keep you or others safe, or to meet legal obligations. If this applies, we will explain what needs to happen and involve you wherever possible.
Victoria Police
Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT)
Swinburne Safer Community
Report the incident to Safer Community or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au.
Independent advocacy and support
You can choose to have an independent advocate or support person with you when speaking with Safer Community or making a report. An advocate can help you understand your options, prepare for meetings and support you through university processes. You can contact the Swinburne Student Association for independent advice and support.
Supporting victim-survivors of sexual violence and harm
If someone tells you they have experienced sexual assault, sexual harassment or other sexual harm, your response can make a difference.
You can:
- listen and believe them
- thank them for telling you
- remind them it was not their fault
- avoid asking detailed or investigative questions
- ask what they need right now
- help them contact support if they want you to
- contact Safer Community for advice if you are unsure what to do.
If there is immediate danger, call 000. For 24/7 on-campus assistance, call Swinburne Security on 03 9214 3333.
Preventing sexual violence and harm at Swinburne
Swinburne is committed to preventing and responding to gender-based violence, including sexual assault and sexual harassment. This includes education, prevention initiatives, support services, reporting pathways, staff training and ongoing work guided by student feedback, evidence and national requirements.
For more information about Swinburne’s prevention work, visit the Safety through prevention and Preventing sexual violence and harm webpage. You can also learn more about Swinburne’s broader commitment to preventing and responding to gender-based violence on the Gender-based violence prevention and response page.
2026 National Student Safety Survey (NSSS)
The 2026 National Student Safety Survey (NSSS) is a national survey of university students' experiences and perceptions of sexual violence and harm, including sexual assault and sexual harassment.
It is being conducted across Australian universities by independent research organisation Roy Morgan on behalf of Universities Australia.
The survey helps universities better understand student experiences and identify opportunities to strengthen prevention efforts, improve support services and inform future action.
You can view previous NSSS findings and learn what Swinburne is doing in response to past surveys.
What is this survey about?
The survey focuses on students' experiences and perceptions of sexual violence and harm in university settings. Sexual violence and harm includes sexual assault, sexual harassment and other forms of unwelcome or unwanted sexual behaviours.
By sharing your experiences and perspectives, you can help universities better understand student experiences and inform future prevention, support and response efforts.
When is the survey running?
31 August – 28 September 2026
The survey is open to Swinburne students for four weeks.
Who can participate and how will I be notified?
You do not need to have experienced sexual violence or harm to participate. Every student has the right to share their perspective and to have their voice heard – because your voice matters.
Eligible students may be invited by email from Roy Morgan to complete the survey. The sender name is: National Student Safety Survey 2026. If you have not yet completed the survey, you will receive reminder emails from Roy Morgan throughout the 4-week period.
Frequently Asked Questions
Participation is voluntary and you can stop the survey at any time.
Your responses are confidential. Swinburne will not see individual responses and information reported to the university will be anonymised.
Some topics covered in the survey may be sensitive or distressing. If you choose to complete the survey, please put your wellbeing first and access support if you need it. You can also skip any question by selecting 'Prefer not to say'.
An independent National Student Safety Survey Counselling Line has also been set up for the duration of the survey. It is 24/7 free and confidential support from trained counsellors, provided by Full Stop Australia, an independent organisation. Call 1800 572 224.
You can find answers to frequently asked questions on the Universities Australia website, including on what the survey asks, how to complete the survey, and privacy and data use.
For technical issues accessing or completing the survey, or to request a hardcopy questionnaire, contact the Roy Morgan Help Desk at safetysurvey@roymorgan.com or 1800 687 254.
Share a concern or make a report
If you have experienced or witnessed sexual assault, sexual harassment or other inappropriate behaviour, you can contact Safer Community. You can share a concern online, including anonymously, or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au. You do not need to make a formal report to ask for help.