How to respond to a disclosure of sexual harm

What should you do? 

Attend to their immediate safety 

• If someone is in immediate danger, or needs urgent medical attention, call the emergency services on 000. 
• UTS Security and Emergency Management can also be contacted for immediate support on campus on 1800 249 559 (24 hours). 
• If there is no immediate danger, encourage the person to seek medical care, if appropriate, and refer to the Sexual Harm Prevention and Response Policy for disclosure and reporting options. 
• Confirm that the person has somewhere safe to go to. 

Listen to them  

• Respond with compassion. If someone discloses an incident of sexual harm or GBV to you, listen. Let them express how they feel without interruption. Each person will react differently in this situation.  
• Validate the person’s experience by acknowledging their distress. Respect the words and language they use in relation to the incident.  
• When you feel it is appropriate to do so, check if they wish to make a report, and support them if they do. Also let them know that you may be legally required to report the matter to the police. 
• Encourage the person to seek support, but allow them to make their own decisions. 

Help them find support  

Support for sexual harm

Give them the option to make a report 

The person disclosing an incident may want to make a report immediately, or they may just want to seek support and guidance. Support them in whichever decision they make. 

However, if they do not wish to make a report, or are uncertain as to whether they would like to make a report, gathering and collecting evidence and information as soon as possible after the incident will put them in a better position to report later (refer Sexual Harm Prevention and Response Policy).  

What to do if you have experienced sexual harm

UTS staff who receive a report

UTS staff who receive a disclosure or report of sexual harm or GBV about a student (survivor, alleged perpetrator, witness) must complete a summary form.

Summary form for staff receiving a report of sexual harm

Further guidance is available from safety caseworkers (email safety.caseworker@uts.edu.au) and from the Staff guidelines for managing reports of sexual harm (Staff Connect).

What do I do if I think a crime has been committed?  

If you think a crime has been committed you should encourage the person to report it to the police. UTS cannot investigate a crime. UTS can however provide support in making a police report. 

In some circumstances, UTS staff will be legally obliged to report to the police as outlined in the Sexual Harm Prevention and Response Policy and under section 316 of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW). This may include a requirement to pass on details of the crime, or suspected crime, including details that identify the person who is alleged to have committed the crime or suspected crime. 

Students (or staff supporting students) should contact a safety caseworker or UTS Security and Emergency Management if they think a crime has been committed. Students may be supported by a safety caseworker in reporting to the police.

For UTS staff

Staff should consult with the UTS Legal Unit, UTS Security and Emergency Management, the Executive Director, People and Culture and/or the Director, Student Services to make a mandatory report or if there is any doubt as to whether there is an obligation to make a mandatory report.

Mandatory police reports will typically occur through UTS Security and Emergency Management. Where police are investigating an alleged crime, Security and Emergency Management will act as liaison to ensure UTS investigations do not impact the ongoing police investigation.

Where staff believe that they have information that might be of material assistance in securing the apprehension of an offender, or the prosecution and conviction of an offender for an indictable offence, a report must be made to the police. 

What to expect when you report to UTS