On this page, we will explore the areas of sexual safety the charter aims to address.

Sexual violence

Sexual violence encompasses acts that range from verbal harassment to forced penetration, and an array of types of coercion, from social pressure and intimidation to physical force.

Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct describes a range of behaviours including sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism and any other conduct of a sexual nature that is non consensual or has the purpose or effect of threatening, intimidating, undermining, humiliating or coercing a person.

Sexual assault

Sexual assault is any sexual act that a person did not consent to, or is forced into against their will. It is a form of sexual violence and includes rape, or other sexual offences, such as groping, forced kissing, child sexual abuse, or the torture of a person in a sexual manner.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment occurs when a person engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of violating someone’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.

Examples of sexual harassment can include:

• sexual comments or jokes
• displaying sexually graphic pictures, posters or photos
• suggestive looks, staring or leering
• intrusive questions about a person’s private or sex life, and discussing your own sex life

Other behaviour deemed unacceptable

Verbal and written

• Comments of a sexual nature about a person’s looks, clothing or body
• Sexually explicit anecdotes, jokes or banter
• Requests for sexual favours
• Spreading rumours about a person’s sex life

• Non-verbal

  • Looking someone’s body up and down
  • Derogatory facial expressions of a sexual nature
  • Whistling or sexual gestures
  • Genital exposure and masturbation

  • Physical:

    • Frequently following a person or standing too close to them
    • Inappropriate touching of a person – massaging, stroking or rubbing
    • Purposely brushing up against someone
    • Unwanted or coercive and intimidating sexual conduct

    • Visual

      • Displaying sexually explicit objects and posters of naked people or suggestive images
      • Showing or sending people sexually explicit text messages and images
      • Sharing personal or naked images of self or another person