How universities respond to gender-based violence matters
Recent allegations at a university overseas have made headlines around the world and brought into focus how institutions respond when a student reports sexual violence.
They have also shown how peer culture and bystander inaction can allow harm to occur, and how quickly trust erodes when an institution’s response is seen to fall short.
For Australian higher education providers, this is a timely reminder of obligations under the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence (National Code).
Under the National Code and regulator requirements, higher education providers need to demonstrate proactive prevention strategies, trauma-informed responses and strong accountability systems that protect victim–survivors and promote safe learning environments.
This is where BBSafe can help
Drawing on our expertise in gender-based violence prevention, child and adult safeguarding, investigations, psychosocial risk management and cultural change, we help strengthen prevention and response systems and create safer environments for students and staff.
We also draw on lessons from real-life cases and investigations, which often highlight the warning signs people saw before an incident but felt unable to speak up about.
In this way, we help organisations understand how organisational culture plays such a huge part in whether people are safe or not. Poor culture increases the risk of harm and can mean people don’t feel safe to speak up.
Open, supportive cultures prioritise safety and wellbeing and identify opportunities to build environments where people feel safe to raise concerns.
We know there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you need help establishing policies and procedures, preparing for implementation or responding to incidents, we can provide expert support.
We can also support investigations or carry out root cause analysis after something goes wrong.
Trauma-informed practice is at the centre of everything we do, so rigour is always balanced with sensitivity and compassion.
Please reach out if you have any questions or would like support putting stronger safeguarding into practice.