You are a participant (UniSC staff, student or those contracted by UniSC to provide services, third party providers, volunteers, host organisations, and downstream partners) in a UniSC activity that has received DFAT support via New Colombo Plan (NCP) funding.
The NCP is a signature initiative of the Australian Government which aims to lift knowledge of the Indo Pacific in Australia by supporting Australian undergraduates to study and undertake internships in the region.
DFAT partners are required to address the risk of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) and SEAH related incidents, and Child Protection incidents, should they occur in the delivery of DFAT business.
The DFAT PSEAH policy came into effect in July 2019 and outlines expectations and requirements that universities, students, staff and downstream partners must follow while on DFAT-funded programs (eg. New Colombo Plan). There are 6 Principles outlined in the DFAT PSEAH policy:
- Zero tolerance of inaction
- Strong leadership accelerates cultural change
- Victim/survivor needs are to be prioritised
- Preventing sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment is a shared responsibility
- Gender inequality and other power imbalances are addressed
- Stronger reporting will enhance accountability and transparency
DFAT descriptions of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment, which are a combination of international and Australian definitions, and are defined as:
- Sexual exploitation: Any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust for sexual purposes. It includes profiting monetarily, socially, or politically from sexual exploitation of another.
- Sexual abuse: The actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. It covers sexual offences including but not limited to: attempted rape (which includes attempts to force someone to perform oral sex); and sexual assault (which includes non-consensual kissing and touching). All sexual activity with someone under the age of consent (in the law of the host country or under Australian Capital Territory law [16 years], whichever is greater) is considered to be sexual abuse.
- Sexual harassment: A person sexually harasses another person if the person makes an unwelcome sexual advance or an unwelcome request for sexual favours, or engages in other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to all the circumstances, would have anticipated the possibility that the person harassed would be offended, humiliated or intimidated. Sexual harassment can take various forms. It can be obvious or indirect, physical or verbal, repeated or one-off and perpetrated by any person of any gender towards any person of any gender. Sexual harassment can be perpetrated against beneficiaries, community members, citizens, as well as staff and personnel.
UniSC manages SEAH incidents as notifiable incidents under the UniSC Incident Management – Procedure. All UniSC individuals and participants in a UniSC activity supported by DFAT funding must report SEAH incidents when they occur in the delivery of activities partially or fully funded by DFAT via the reporting mechanisms outlined in section 4.2.1 and section 4.2.3 of the procedure.
Students who wish to report SEAH incident, can report via the mechanisms outlined in the UniSC Sexual Assualt, Sexual Harrassment and Repsectful Relationships - Procedures.
When a student makes a disclosure to a member of UniSC staff, the UniSC staff member should follow the guidelines for responding to disclosures of sexual assault and harassment.
Alleged SEAH events relating to DFAT business, whether in Australia or overseas must be reported on the DFAT form to report an alleged incident. This form is for organisations or individuals (including DFAT staff, and members of the community) to report an alleged incident to DFAT and has a two day compliance timeframe.
Action after reporting
In the event of a SEAH incident, the activity supervisor will follow the Guidelines for Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment.
As per the Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships the University’s response to sexual assault and sexual harassment will be compassionate, supportive, confidential, culturally competent and follow the principles of procedural fairness.
The University will follow a trauma informed approach and provide students support in the management of disclosures or reports as outlined in Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment and Respectful Relationships (Students) – Procedures.
Who can be contacted for help?
Student Wellbeing (during business hours)
SafeUniSC (after hours)
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has a zero-tolerance approach to child exploitation or abuse. The DFAT Child Protection policy applies to all DFAT funded partners that receive DFAT funding including those individuals on UniSC approved overseas study programs such as the New Colombo Plan Mobility program.
There are five policy principles:
Principle 1: Zero tolerance of child exploitation and abuse
Principle 2: Assess and manage child protection risk and impact
Principle 3: Sharing responsibility for child protection
Principle 4: Procedural fairness
Principle 5: Recognition of the best interests of the child
As per UniSC Working with Vulnerable People (including Child Protection) - Procedure, it is mandatory for any member of the University community to report when a vulnerable person could be at risk of abuse, neglect or exploitation.
How to report an incident is based on the nature of the concerning behaviour and outlined in section 8.3.
The Incident Management - Procedures provide guidance for when an incident is considered notifiable under commonwealth or state legislation.
UniSC is required to report incidents to the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) if the incident occurred during a DFAT funded program. Reports can also be made directly to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) by contacting:
Email: childwelfare@dfat.gov.au
Telephone: +61 2 6261 2318