Respectful Communities — Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Education
The Respectful Communities program delivers critical education and prevention initiatives aligned with the University of Newcastle’s Action Plan for Prevention of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (2022–2025) and compliance with national guidelines on gender-based violence.
Key components include:
- Peer Leaders & Lived Experience Student Consultants: Students co-deliver education and inform research, policy, and practice with their lived experience expertise, ensuring best-practice victim-survivor engagement.
- Programming Materials & Events: These support awareness and prevention activities, providing students with education on consent, respectful relationships, sexual health services, and reporting pathways like Campus Care and Counselling.
- Consent Matters Online Module: A compulsory, foundational module for all students, delivering core education on consent and bystander responsibility, with 17,547 students engaged to date.
Across Q1, the program reached approximately 5,000 students through events, materials, and peer initiatives, supported by collaborations with Student Living, UNSA, Student Central, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion teams. Evaluation is ongoing via attendance tracking and feedback surveys.
Overall, the program is creating a more informed, respectful, and safer university community.
Learn more
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.