Preventing gender-based violence: A whole-of-community approach

Through its long-standing Respect.Now.Always (RNA) program, the university is taking a whole-of-community approach that is focused on changing attitudes and behaviours around sexual violence and promoting a safe and respectful campus. From student-led events and orientation campaigns to academic leadership in the classroom, UTS is building a safe, respectful environment where everyone can thrive.

What’s changing and why now?

New national legislation is on the horizon and universities are being called to act. The upcoming National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence will mandate prevention strategies, introduce reporting requirements and empower regulators to impose substantial penalties for non-compliance. While the code is still in development, universities are already adapting.

For UTS, the new requirements are less of a pivot and more a validation of the work it has already been doing.

“This isn’t new work for us,” says RNA Program Manager Catharine Pruscino. “We’ve had a prevention team in place since 2017, and our approach has always been about doing what’s right, not just the bare minimum.”

That approach includes making RNA a whole-of-university effort. While the national RNA initiative initially focused on students, UTS quickly recognised that lasting culture change would require engaging the entire university community from staff and researchers to student leaders and professional units. 

Making prevention personal

Associate Professor, Accounting Discipline Group Professor Amanda White has become an advocate for weaving respect and consent education into the classroom.

“Respect isn’t just a student issue,” she says. “When you see disrespectful behaviour, whether it’s a sexist comment in class or something more serious, you have a responsibility to speak up.”

Amanda regularly volunteers for RNA initiatives and has developed techniques to address inappropriate behaviour in real time. “When I push back in class, especially against anonymous or inappropriate comments, I can feel the room shift. Female students look relieved. Some male students reflect. And occasionally, a student will come up afterwards to say: ‘That was me. I’m sorry.’”

She credits the RNA team with giving her the tools and confidence to respond effectively and says she’s seeing a growing network of academic allies across the university. 

Collaboration at every level

Key to RNA’s success has been deep collaboration across the university. The program works with ActivateUTS, the Library, Housing, the People Unit, the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion and others to embed prevention messaging across everyday university life.

“ActivateUTS holds the social heart of student life clubs, sports, events,” says Catharine. “The Library is the academic front door. By working together, we meet students where they are and build a culture of respect from the onset.”

That includes innovative activities during, Orientation, Open Day and O’Day, from interactive ice-cream activations that start conversations about consent, to targeted messaging campaigns that reach thousands. 

One standout example is the RNA team’s award-winning O'Day activations, which uses approachable branding and a sweet theme to get people talking. Featuring the tagline Wanna Spoon? Ask First!, the activations spark hundreds of conversations about consent and boundaries.  

The program’s reach extends beyond campus, too. As the Chair of the NSW and ACT Universities Prevention Connection, Catharine is helping lead a statewide effort to share insights and strengthen prevention across the sector.  

Data-backed impact

UTS’s approach is delivering real results. According to the latest National Student Safety Survey, UTS outperformed the national average on key indicators, including awareness of consent and knowledge of reporting pathways.

The university’s mandatory online module, Consent Matters, has now been completed by more than 150,000 people. International students, in particular, report high satisfaction with the training often citing it as the first time they’ve encountered clear, respectful education on the topic.

UTS has also recorded a 91 per cent satisfaction rate among those who completed the training.

Student feedback backs this up. In internal UTS surveys, the RNA program continues to rank among the most positively rated student experiences, alongside the Library and learning support services. 

Everyone has a role to play

Whether you're in the classroom, in the office, or behind the scenes, the message is clear: prevention starts with you.

That’s why, with the national code approaching, UTS is building upon its strong foundation. The university is progressing several key initiatives, including a comprehensive review of policies, a proposed single access point for support services and enhanced case management systems for staff and students alike.

“It’s not just about being aware of the resources,” Amanda says. 

Catharine agrees. “If staff don’t feel confident in how to respond, they should reach out. We’re here to support you, to work alongside you. No one has to do this alone.”