The 2021 National Student Safety Survey (NSSS) revealed that sexual assault and sexual harassment remains rife in the higher education sector. More thoughtful, consistent approaches are needed to prevent sexual harm and support survivors.

In response to the NSSS results and recent changes to workplace sexual harassment laws, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA), Australia’s higher education regulator, reworked their 2020 good practice note on preventing and responding to sexual harm.

SAGE welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the reworked note, which will be a valuable resource for higher education providers looking for better ways to protect the safety and wellbeing of their students.

SAGE’s submission drew attention to complex situations that are not sufficiently covered by existing policies and practices. Specifically, SAGE subscribers and stakeholders have called for more guidance around managing situations where a person involved:

• is considered a staff member and a student (for example, students on course-mandated work placements); and/or
• is affiliated with more than one organisation.

Click the button below to download SAGE’s full submission in response to the sexual harm good practice note consultation.