Content note: This article makes reference to sexual assault and sexual harassment.

As Session 1 kicks into gear, students are back on campus in droves. It’s a new year – with renewed energy, a renewed curriculum, and renewed imperative to do all that we can to improve student wellbeing and success. We can all contribute in our own way to building a safer and healthier campus community.

In 2018, following the launch of the Respect. Now. Always. Action Plan 2018-2020, Dr Carmen Germain (Student Care and Trauma Lead, Student Wellbeing) wrote candidly about why it’s important to respond to, and support, students who have experienced sexual assault or sexual harassment.

Two years on, the Respect. Now. Always. project has progressed – Macquarie now has a Student Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Policy and a Staff Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy in place, an online reporting form for unwanted and inappropriate behaviours that affect our students, and an online consent education module – Consent Matters – that all newly commencing students need to complete.

Staff training

There is also online and face-to-face training available for staff. This training focuses on developing skills to respond to disclosures of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Online training is available year-round, and face-to-face sessions are scheduled monthly.

The online training involves a 30-minute module. It provides a brief overview of the issue of sexual assault and sexual harassment on university campuses, key legal definitions, and tips on how to respond compassionately when a student discloses. The online module is a pre-requisite for attending a face-to-face session.

The face-to-face training lasts for 90 minutes. It’s narrative-based, focusing on discussion of scenarios that cover common behaviours on campus. You can meet colleagues from across the University, discuss your concerns and worries about how to respond to student disclosures in your work context, and practise good approaches to responding. The face-to-face session is a warm, welcoming, and safe environment. Its goal is to increase your confidence about supporting students through difficult situations.

Macquarie encourages all staff with high volumes of student contact in their work to engage with this training – whether working in academic or professional roles. If you have any questions or want further information, please contact the Student Diversity and Inclusion team via email: respect@mq.edu.au. We’re here to help.