Report an Incident
Whether you have been directly impacted by sexual or gender-based violence, have witnessed something on a UC campus that has made you feel uncomfortable, or are supporting a fellow student who has been impacted, please know that you are not alone. We believe you and we are here to support you.
If you wish to report other incidents that compromise safety and security, such as a source of danger, security issue, act of disaster, property damage, non-violent criminal activity or other such incidents, then please submit a Health and Safety Report.
Your safety and well-being is of the utmost importance to us. We want our community to be one where our students and staff feel safe, respected. Reporting your experience can help us support you and take preventative action to make our community safer.
If you choose to report an incident, your experience will be treated confidentially and with respect. Should you wish to let the university know that something has happened but not want any further support, you can submit anonymously. If you choose to share your contact details, you will be contacted by a member of our Student Wellbeing team within 24hrs (unless you submit on a Friday or Saturday where you’ll hear back on the following work day). Our Student Wellbeing team is here to offer their support and walk this path with you.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
It can be hard to know where to go or what to do when you’ve experienced harm and disrespect. This incident report has been designed to provide you with an online and/or anonymous option for sharing your experience with us. It can be a good place to start if you want someone to know what has happened but feel unsure about how to talk about it, or if you want the university to know but don’t want to be identified.
It’s very normal to feel unsure about what you have experienced or witnessed. Terminology like ‘sexual harassment’ and ‘gender-based violence’ can feel quite confusing and, at times, daunting.
Sexual assault and sexual harassment are forms of gender-based violence and are most commonly defined as:
Behaviour that is used against someone because of their gender, gender expression or sexual orientation that makes someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated, frightened or threatened.
So, if someone has said or done something that has made you feel uncomfortable, intimidated, frightened or threatened, we would like to hear about it. You don’t deserve to be made to feel that way and these sorts of behaviours are not something we want in our community.
If you’re unsure about which ‘Incident Type’ to select in the report, click ‘Sexual Misconduct’. ‘Sexual Misconduct’ is UC’s term for all behaviours that fall under gender-based violence.
This form is for reporting all types of disrespect and harm, not just gender-based violence. If you have been disrespected or harmed in any way, please submit a report and let us know. We are here to support you.
One of the biggest barriers to reporting is people thinking that others wouldn’t think it was ‘serious enough’. We’re here to tell you that if you experienced or witnessed something that made you feel uncomfortable, it is serious enough and we are here to support you.
Once you submit your report, the Director of Student Life is notified that an incident has occurred. The Director of Student Life will then connect you with a Student Wellbeing team member who will help you navigate the pathway you want to take. Student Wellbeing will reach out to you and offer their support, connection and care.
If you submit the report from Sunday to Thursday, you will get a response within 24hrs. If you submit your report on a Friday or Saturday, you will receive a response on the following workday. If you are in immediate danger, call UC security on 6201 2222 or emergency services on 000. If it is within business hours and you would like to reach out to someone directly, you can email wellbeing@canberra.edu.au to connect with the Student Wellbeing team.
For immediate medical support, call Medical and Counselling on 02 6201 2351 in business hours and ask for ‘nurse triage’, or visit where you can access specialist medical support 24/7. If you’d like to make contact outside of university business hours, call the UC Crisis Line on 1300 271 790 or text 0488 884 227. You can also call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) 24/7 for support.
Your report is saved in a confidential reporting system that is only accessed by authorised University staff. Your report will not be shared with other UC staff without your consent. If you submit an identified report, your contact details will be sent to Student Wellbeing so they can reach out to you and offer support, connection and care. If you submit an anonymous report, there is no way for the university to identify you.
The University has reporting requirements for instances of sexual violence on campus. Where this applies, deidentified data is shared with the University Council to help us prevent acts of sexual violence in the future.
Will submitting an incident report automatically trigger a formal investigation from the University?
No. This is your experience, and you have full control over the choices you make along the way. A formal investigation will only happen if you want it to and you will be offered support at every stage.
Should you wish to let the university know that something has happened but not want any further support, submitting anonymously can be a good option. Every little bit of information shared with the University helps us to prevent incidents from happening in the future.
If you submit anonymously, there will be no way for the University to identify you. Should you submit a report anonymously but decide later that you would like to be identified, you can access and edit your report or contact the Wellbeing Team to assist you.