Safer Community

All members of the Deakin community are encouraged to report concerning behaviour, even if they seem minor. Contacting us about your concerns provides us with the opportunity to address concerning behaviour at its earliest point. Even if you’re unsure, or think 'Maybe I’m overreacting. It’s not such a big deal', it’s worth giving us a call. We’ll listen and provide advice.

Contacting Safer Community about disclosures and reports is essential to ensure a victim survivor-centred approach is always provided, and the victim survivor is given all the appropriate supports available to them. It also ensures risk mitigation steps are taken to protect the Deakin community.

When staff receive disclosures of sexual harm and domestic or family violence, they should support the student to contact Safer Community for support and advice. In the event the disclosing person does not wish to contact Safer Community, the staff member must refer the matter to Safer Community as soon as practicable but may withhold the identify of the person making the disclosure if that person does not wish their identify to be shared.

You will talk to caring and highly trained professionals, with experience in responding to and providing support for behaviours of concern, domestic family violence and sexual harm matters.

Using a best practice approach, Safer Community can receive, review, discuss, evaluate the behaviours; to adopt and implement strategies to reduce the risk of harm to you and the broader community, and to monitor and re-evaluate behaviours of concern and mitigation strategies.

We will offer you options and referrals to help resolve your concerns and keep yourself and others safe. We will talk with you throughout this process, and you will be centre to the decision making. We are also available to run training, workshops and assist in developing resources for your area.

You can report anonymously. However, this may restrict our ability to assess and follow up on the incident, as well as report back to you on the outcome.

Safer Community work from a victim survivor model, empowerment model, social justice frameworks, case management practice, and trauma-informed practice. Safer Community emphasise a restorative, voluntary and non-punitive approach where possible.

See something? Say something. Do something!

Campus safety is everyone’s business, and we all have a role to play in creating a safe, inclusive and respectful study and work environment. Calling out disrespectful behaviour can make people nervous, however it is an important action to show support for someone who may be experiencing this type of behaviour.

For more information and training, email respectbelongthrive@deakin.edu.au. Information for staff.

Safer Community can provide training on how to identify and respond to behaviours of concern, including domestic and family violence. Please contact us for more information.

For training on Responding to disclosures of sexual harm and Active Bystander please contact the Diverity and Inclusion team.

We are proud to support a number of campaigns and initiatives aimed at improving awareness, prevention and response to threatening or inappropriate behaviour.

• Respect. Now. Always. campaign aims is to prevent sexual harm and to provide victim/survivor-centred support to students and staff.
• Racism. It Stops with me The Australian Human Rights Commissions Racisim. It stops with me campaign improves awareness, prevention and response to racism in Australia.
• Respect. Belong. Thrive. initiative aims to create an environment of inclusion where we value our diversity, embrace difference and nurture a connected, safe and respectful community.
• Communities of respect provides information about supporting LGBTIQ+ family.

If you have participated in the 2021 National Student Safety Survey or shared your experiences and want to talk, you are in the right place. We are here to listen.

Access the National Student Safety Survey information