Dealing with sexual assault

Sexual assault occurs when a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent, or if a child or young person under 18 is exposed to sexual activities. Sexual assault is a crime and can happen to anyone in our community.

Indecent assault is unwanted touching of a person's body by another person. For example it can include kissing or inappropriate touching of a person's breasts, bottom or genitals.

Sexual harassment is any unwanted or unwelcome sexual behaviour, which makes a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated. Sexual harassment is not interaction, flirtation or friendship which is mutual or consensual.

Consent occurs when a person freely and voluntarily agrees to sexual intercourse. Sexual assault occurs when someone is unable to and/or does not give consent.

For more information about these definitions, please visit NSW Justice (opens an external site) and Australian Human Rights Commission (opens an external site).

Report a sexual offence

Consent

Consent is an important part of the legal definition of sexual assault. According to the Crimes Act (1900), consent means to ‘freely and voluntarily agree’. The law states that a person is unable to give consent if:

  • asleep or unconscious
  • significantly intoxicated or affected by drugs
  • unable to understand what they are consenting to
  • intimidated, coerced or threatened
  • submitted to the abuse of authority of a professional or any other trusted person
  • unlawfully detained, or held against their will

For more information on how the law describes sexual assault and other offences please refer to the NSW Legislation website (opens an external site). Information about reporting options in NSW can be found at NSW Police Force (opens an external site).

Information on sexual assault

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS, 2012) an estimated 17% of women aged 18 years and over and 4% of men aged 18 years and over had experienced sexual assault. Both men and women who had experienced sexual assault were more likely to have been sexually assaulted by someone they knew, rather than by a stranger (ABS, 2012).

Sexual assault can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, sexual preference or relationship status. A common misconception is that sexual assault can only happen with a partner of the opposite sex. This is not true. Sexual assault occurs in same-sex relationships, and is just as traumatic for the person who experiences it. For more information on violence in same-sex relationships, including what to do if you have experienced sexual assault, please visit Another Closet (opens an external site).

Everyone responds differently to sexual assault. There is no right or wrong way to respond. The Department of Health (opens an external site) identifies shock, denial, disbelief, numbness, fear and acute stress response as just some of the commonly listed responses a person might have following a sexual assault. Whatever the reaction, it is a normal response to an extreme physical and emotional violation (NSW Rape Crisis Centre, 2012).

Support services

Please note: links listed below open external sites. UTS is not responsible for any content or information therein.

If you have experienced sexual assault it may be helpful to speak with a counsellor to assist you in finding ways of dealing with your thoughts and emotions. You do not have to report a sexual assault to the police in order to be able to talk about sexual assault with a counsellor. For more information on where to find help, please see the resources listed below.

Emergency contact numbers

In an emergency, call 000.

Campus security can be contacted 24 hours a day by dialling extension 6 from internal telephone lines. From your mobile, use free call number 1800 249 559.

Support and assistance

Sexual Assault Services provide free information, counselling, court support, medical treatment and forensic examinations. They operate 24 hours a day in locations across NSW. For a full list, please visit NSW Health (opens an external site).

  • Eastern and Central Sydney Sexual Assault Service: Call (02) 9515 9040 (After hours: Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. Call (02) 9515 6111)
  • Northern Sydney Sexual Assault Service: Call (02) 9926 7580 (After hours: Royal North Shore Hospital: Call (02) 9926 7111)
  • Southern Sydney Sexual Assault Service: Call (02) 9113 2494 After hours: St George Hospital: Call (02) 9113 1111)
  • Westmead Sexual Assault Service: Call (02) 9845 7940 (After hours: Westmead Hospital: Call (02) 9845 5555)
  • Sexual Assault Factsheet (Your body, your choice). This resource has been developed by the City of Sydney, Redfern Legal Centre and Study NSW in consultation with Rape Crisis NSW, NSW Health Sexual Assault Service and NSW Police and it has been translated into 11 different languages—Arabic, Chinese—Simplified, Chinese—Traditional, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Nepalese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese. Printed versions are also available at Student Services (level 6 Tower—Counselling staff can assist)

Further useful information and support can be found below:

  • NSW Rape Crisis Centre (opens an external site): 24/7 telephone and online crisis counselling service for anyone in Australia who has experienced or is at risk of sexual assault. Call 1800 424 017.
  • 1800Respect: National counselling helpline, information and support 24/7. Call 1800 737 732.
  • You can always contact our own Counselling or Medical Services.
  • Help for Victims of Sexual Assault (opens an external site): NSW government Victims Services
  • Australian Centre for the Study of Sexual Assault (opens an external site): A knowledge and information centre for reducing sexual violence
  • Reachout.com (opens an external site): What is sexual assault?
  • Victorian Centres Against Sexual Assault (opens an external site): Works to ensure that women, children and men who are victim/survivors of sexual assault have access to comprehensive and timely support and intervention to address their needs.
  • Twenty10 (opens an external site): A Sydney based service working across New South Wales, providing a broad range of specialised services for young people 12–25 including housing, mental health, counselling and social support
  • The Gender Centre (opens an external site): provides a high quality professional psychological service to the transgender and gender questioning community.
  • Another Closet (opens an external site): provides information and support for people in LGBTIQ relationships who are, or may be, experiencing domestic and family violence.
  • The Sydney Women’s Counselling Centre (opens an external site): A service for women, providing counselling, information, groups and support. Call (02) 9718 1955 
  • Aboriginal Women’s Sexual Assault Network (opens an external site): A network of Aboriginal women from all around New South Wales who are working to prevent sexual violence. Call (02) 9818 7216
  • Mensline (opens an external site): A dedicated service for men with relationship and family concerns. Call 1300 78 99 78
  • Survivors and Mates Support Network (opens an external site): helps men coping with the effects of childhood sexual abuse with psychologist-led, facilitated peer-support groups based in Sydney.
  • Service Assisting Male Survivors of Sexual Assault (opens an external site): Dedicated service for men who have experienced sexual assault in Australia.
  • Sexual Assault Factsheet (Your body, your choice). This resource has been developed by the City of Sydney, Redfern Legal Centre and Study NSW in consultation with Rape Crisis NSW, NSW Health Sexual Assault Service and NSW Police and it has been translated into 11 different languages—Arabic, Chinese—Simplified, Chinese—Traditional, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean, Nepalese, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese. Printed versions are also available at Student Services (level 6 Tower—Counselling staff can assist)

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2012). Personal Safety Survey. Retrieved from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4906.0Chapter5002012

Crimes Act 1900 (NSW) (Austlii). Retrieved from http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/nsw/consol_act/ca190082/s61ha.html

NSW Rape Crisis Centre (2012). Perpetrators of Sexual Assault [factsheet]. n.p, NSW.

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.