What is sexual assault?
"Sexual assault occurs when a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent, or if a child or young person under 18 is exposed to sexual activities.
Sexual assault is a crime. Sexual assault is not the victim's fault.
Sexual assault can happen to anyone in our community. This includes people who are young or old, male or female, from any cultural background, wealthy or not so wealthy, married or not. Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault.
Most victims of sexual assault know the person who assaulted them, such as a family member or friend or someone from work, school, church or another social group. A person you don't know or have just met can commit sexual assault.
Women and men as victims of sexual assault are treated equally under the law." Victim's Services Justice NSW 2017.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted, unwelcome or uninvited behaviour of a sexual nature which a person should expect will make the recipient feel humiliated, intimidated or offended. Sexual harassment can take many different forms and may include physical contact, verbal comments, jokes, propositions, the display of offensive material or other behaviour which creates a sexually hostile working or studying environment. Sexual harassment is not behaviour which is based on mutual attraction, friendship and respect. Sexual assault or sexual harassment can happen to anyone in our community.
Female, male and LGBTIQ+ community members can be victims of sexual assault or harassment and are treated equally under the law.
- staring or leering in a sexual manner
- unwelcome wolf whistling
- comments about a person's physical appearance or sexual characteristics
- sexual or physical contact, such as slapping, kissing touching, hugging or massaging
- displaying or circulating sexual material, for example on a noticeboard or by email
- repeated sexual invitations when the person has refused similar invitations before
- initiation ceremonies involving unwelcome sexually related behaviour
- intrusive questions about sexual activity Antidiscrimination Board of NSW
Further information can be found in the University's Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy.