Ready to tell us about a concern?
Use the online form or email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au.
Tell Safer Community about inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour
If there is immediate danger
If you or someone else is hurt, in immediate danger, or needs urgent medical or police help, call:
- Emergency services on 000
- Swinburne Security for 24/7 on-campus assistance on +61 3 9214 3333
The online disclosure and reporting form and Safer Community inbox are not monitored for emergency response.
Using the online form
If you, or someone you know has experienced or witnessed inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour, you can tell Safer Community online. You can use the form to:
- make a disclosure, ask for support
- report a concern for yourself or someone else,
- refer a student,
- or share information anonymously.
You can submit the online form or email Safer Community at safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au at any time. We review online disclosures, reports and emails during business hours (Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm; excluding public holidays and University shut-down periods) and will provide an initial response within one business day.
What can I tell Safer Community about?
Safer Community can respond to a range of inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour.
This may include:
- sexual harassment or sexual assault
- family, domestic and relationship violence
- gender-based violence
- discrimination, harassment or bullying
- threats, intimidation or aggressive behaviour
- concerning behaviour online, on campus, in student accommodation, on placement or during Swinburne activities
- child safety concerns
- behaviour that makes you worried about someone’s safety or wellbeing.
If you are unsure whether Safer Community is the right place to contact, you can still submit the form or email us. We can help you work out the next step.
What happens after you contact us?
Safer Community will review the information you provide and consider how we can best support you and respond to the concern.
If you provide your contact details, we may contact you to:
- check in and offer support
- ask for more information if needed
- talk through your options
- help with safety planning
- connect you with Swinburne or external support services
- explain whether any university process may apply.
Submitting the form does not automatically start a formal investigation. Safer Community will talk with you about your options before any further action is taken.
Your choice, privacy and confidentiality
- Safer Community will work with you and respect your choices about what happens next.
- Information you provide will be handled sensitively and shared only where needed to provide support, ensure safety and wellbeing, assess risk, respond to the concern, or meet legal or university obligations.
- There may be some situations where Safer Community needs to take action to keep you or others safe, respond to child safety concerns, or meet legal or university obligations. If this happens, we will aim to explain what information may need to be shared, who it may be shared with, and why.
- Read more about how Swinburne manages personal and health information on the Swinburne privacy page.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. You can choose to submit information anonymously via the online form.
Anonymous information can still help Safer Community understand patterns of behaviour, identify safety concerns and improve prevention and response efforts.
If you do not provide contact details, we will not be able to:
- contact you to offer support
- ask follow-up questions
- provide updates
- fully assess or respond to the concern.
Safer Community can talk with you about what happened, what support you need, and what outcome you are hoping for.
We can help you understand your support, response and resolution options. This may include safety planning, referrals to support services, informal or alternative resolution options, early intervention, or explaining whether a formal investigation or student misconduct process may apply.
Not every disclosure or report leads to an investigation. Where possible, we will talk with you about your options before any next steps are taken, unless we need to act because of a serious or immediate safety concern or legal obligation.
No. You can contact Safer Community for support and talk through your options before deciding what you want to do next.
Not every disclosure or report leads to a formal investigation. Safer Community will review the information you provide, consider your desired outcome, and assess the most appropriate response.
Safer Community can formally investigate concerns about student conduct where the matter may involve a breach of university rules or regulations. This may include considering whether the matter should be managed through a student misconduct process.
If the concern is about staff conduct, Safer Community can support you to access the right university pathway to raise the concern. We can also support you through that process where appropriate, including safety planning, referrals, and acting as a liaison between you and the relevant area.
Where possible, we will explain the available options and what each process may involve before any next steps are taken.
Yes. If you choose to report to police, Safer Community can support you and help you understand your options.
Swinburne cannot decide whether a crime has occurred. Police are responsible for investigating criminal matters.
If you are 18 or over, Swinburne will not usually report a matter to police without your consent, unless there is a serious or immediate safety risk or another legal obligation applies.
If you are under 18, Swinburne may be required to report some concerns, including allegations of sexual misconduct or child safety concerns, to police or another relevant authority.
Yes. If you are asked to meet with Safer Community, you can bring a support person or advocate with you.
Yes. You can also make a complaint through Swinburne’s complaints process.
If your concern is about staff conduct, Safer Community can support you to understand the right pathway to raise the concern and, where appropriate, support you through that process.
Safer Community can help you understand which pathway may be most appropriate.
Yes. Staff can use the online form to refer a student to Safer Community or to seek advice about a student-related concern. We will always reach out to you first to confirm the information you have shared before taking any further steps.
Where possible, staff should talk with the student first and explain why they are contacting Safer Community, what information they plan to share, and what support may be available. Students can choose whether they want to be contacted by Safer Community. You can also share information without identifying the student.
Staff have a responsibility to raise child safety or gender-based violence concerns with Safer Community. If the student does not want to be identified, staff can share de-identified information so Safer Community can provide advice, consider any safety concerns, and support Swinburne to meet its obligations.
Ready to tell us about a concern?
If you, or someone you know, has experienced or witnessed inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour, you can tell Safer Community online. Use the online form to make a disclosure, ask for support, report a concern or share information anonymously. You can also email safercommunity@swinburne.edu.au.