Commissioned by Universities Australia, the National Student Safety Survey was launched on Monday 6 September. It’s the second such survey of the higher education sector as part of a national commitment to reduce sexual harassment and sexual assault under the Respect. Now. Always. campaign. The survey will ask 10,000 students at each university across the nation (including Flinders) to take part. The data it collects on the scale and nature of experiences of sexual harassment and sexual assault will help provide a safe environment for our students and staff.

Not all students will receive an email to take part. If you have, we strongly encourage you to complete the survey as the results will help us as we strive to keep our community safe. Check your email and maybe your spam folder to see if you have been invited. The survey is open until the 6th October so you have time to complete it.

If you haven’t been specifically invited, you can still take part. Universities Australia are also conducting a qualitative study that will run concurrently with the survey which will allow for all recent university students to share their experience in their own words, anonymously. We encourage all students who have experienced, witnessed or heard about sexual harassment or sexual assault to submit their story. Simply visit www.nsss.edu.au to participate. Your responses are anonymous.

Raising issues of sexual harassment and sexual assault can be difficult and challenging and some students require some support. If this happens, please remember that there are options for support available to you and Flinders offers a free and confidential counselling service with highly skilled counsellors to all students, including those studying online, which can be accessed here.