Black SquareBe A Better Human

Safe Communities

UNE will not tolerate sexual assault, sexual harassment, or gender-based violence,
in any form or in any environment.

Let’s talk about it? How do you define “consent”? Have a read about the importance of affirmative consent, consent in relationships and the importance of communication in consent.

There’s a lot of myths out there about sexual assault and with the digital realm growing faster than ever, it can be hard to keep up. We pose a few myth-busting scenarios and talk about dating apps.

We know these words will illicit all kind of responses, from scoffs of anger about the term to deep sighs about the state of things. But it’s just some words used to describe some things. It’s the THINGS we need to focus on.

Being an everyday hero has never been easier. We talk about what bystander intervention is, why it’s one of the most important things in being a better human, and how to do it effectively.

How to Report

If you haven’t consented to sexual activity, you have a legal right to take action and you
can go to the police and report the sexual assault or rape as a crime.

Myth 1: People are more likely to be sexually assaulted by a stranger, at night, on a dark street or in a park.

Nope. Most sexual offenders are known to the victim. Typically, a relative, partner, friend or peer. It can happen in the victim’s (or the offenders) home at day or night.

Myth 2: You can’t be sexually assaulted by someone you’re in a relationship with, or have had sex with before.

Forcing or coercing someone to have sex when they don’t want to is sexual assault, regardless of the relationship between the perpetrator and victim.
Consent needs to be sought each and every time.

Myth 3: Some people provoke sexual assault by the way they dress or behave.

No one asks or deserves to be sexually assaulted, and dressing to feel comfortable or attractive does not suggest otherwise. Perpetrators are responsible for their own actions.

Myth 4: People can only be sexually assaulted by a man with a penis.

Women, men and people with other gender identities can be sexually assaulted by someone of the same or different gender, by use of an object or Hand.

Myth 5: If the victim didn’t say no, or scream and fight, then it wasn’t a sexual assault.

We all react differently to high-stress situations. Some people fight or flight, while others freeze up and withdraw. Many victims become paralysed with fear, which means they are unable to speak to speak-up or fight back.

Remember, the absence of a clear and enthusiastic yes is a no.

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