Safety & respect

Everyone has the right to feel safe, respected and heard. We want VU to be a place free from discrimination, harassment and violence of any kind - whether in-person or online.

Contact the Safety and Respect Team if you have experienced violence or are concerned about your safety or the safety of someone else.

The Safety and Respect team at VU are trained professionals who will listen, care and offer support and options.

Find support

Safety concerns

Group support session, person leading with outstretched hands.

Safety concerns can include:

sexual violence (including harassment and assault)
physical violence
online abuse such as sharing intimate images, doxxing or sextortion
family violence
stalking
discriminatory harassment or hate speech.

On-campus support

A counsellor writes down notes while listening to a patient sat across from them.

On campus support options include:

Find support on campus

Off-campus support

A group of young people sit at a support session.

Find support off campus via the following services:

Hand holding mobile phone in front of a laptop.

Contact the safety & respect team

Please do not hesitate to report an incident or concern, even if you think you don’t have enough information for Safer Community to action immediately. This includes reports of any incident that has occurred off campus or online, if it affects you or the VU Community.

Report a concern

If you or someone you know has experienced or witnessed any inappropriate or concerning behaviour, you can report it - either anonymously, or with contact details.

Please do not hesitate to report an incident or concern, even if you think you don't have enough information for Safer Community to action immediately.

Fill in our form by clicking the button below to report your issue. Your report will be recorded and reviewed, and appropriate action taken.

Access the report form

You will receive support and follow up as per the steps below.

: The information you give us on this form will be shared with a small group of staff from Safer Community who will assess how best the University can respond.
If you are a student, we will not share your report with anyone else unless one of these applies:
you provide us with your consent
there are very serious safety concerns and we are legally obligated to act immediately.
: Usually, the senior coordinator or another member of Safer Community will contact you to discuss what can be done, within three University working days.
Safer Community will not normally take action without consulting you, nor treat your report as a complaint until we have contacted you.
If, however, there are serious safety and wellbeing concerns raised by your report we may need to take urgent action without asking you first. This may include notifying other people about what you’ve told us (such as Victoria Police and other staff within the University).
This is to make sure people are safe and protected, and to comply with our legal duties.
: A senior coordinator or another member of Safer Community will provide you with support, advice and guidance.
The Safer Community member will contact you to:
gather additional information
develop an action plan or safety plan for you
provide you with a referral to internal or external support services
help you to understand your options, and if you choose to formalise your report to the University they will walk you through the process.

Safety & prevention work

The Respect and Responsibility online training is part of the University’s Building Respectful Futures Together strategy.

Our aim is to challenge gender stereotyping and help change behaviours and attitudes related to everyday sexism, sexual assault and sexual harassment.

: Online training for students is located in Collaborate.
Please contact us for alternative access options if you or your students are not able to access Collaborate.
Please note that the training is best accessed on a desktop or laptop computer – it is not optimised for mobile devices. The training consists of:
Consent and Respectful Relationships
Bystander Awareness and Action
These resources were co-designed with students and feature practical strategies, meaningful true-to-life scenarios, relevant video content and opportunities for reflection and commitment. The training has won several awards and is highly rated by students.
: Online training for staff is available in VU Develop. Please contact us for alternative access options if you or your staff are not able to access VU Develop.
Staff training includes:
Sexual harassment and sexual assault – how can staff respond? Provides training on the knowledge required for supportively responding to disclosures from students or colleagues.
Bystander Awareness and Action online module for staff teaches practical strategies for challenging everyday sexism.
The Respect and Responsibility training complements the University’s Sexual Harassment Response Policy and Procedure and Sexual Assault Response Policy and Procedure, which prioritise the experiences of victims and survivors, and affirm that disclosures or formal reports of sexual harm will receive a supportive and believing response from our staff.
Face-to-face training for both student and staff groups is also available on request.
Email [email protected] if you would like to know more, or if you are having any difficulties accessing the online training.

A graphic with text saying 'Safer community' with an image of the app on a phone.

VU Safe mobile app

VU Safe is the free, official mobile safety app of Victoria University. The app is packed with safety information, tools and features to keep you safe on campus.

VU Safe is free to download.

Download for Android Download for Apple

: Emergency alert
In an emergency press the Emergency Alert to call Campus Security and allow them to view your location on a map in real-time.
Safety notifications
Receive push notifications alerting you to safety and emergency information on campus, including building or campus evacuations.
Emergency contacts
Immediately contact emergency services with the push of a button. On campus you can contact Campus Security and request first aid assistance. Off campus you can contact Emergency Services 000 (triple zero).Friend walk
Have a friend virtually watch over you as you walk.
Tap the button and select a contact, they’ll receive a message with a link to view a map and track your location. Pick your destination, and start walking.
If you need help just hit a button to notify your friend and start an emergency call. When you get to your destination safely, just tap the button to end the call.
Request security escort
Send a request to Campus Security officers, who can walk you to and from buildings, public transport or to your vehicle on campus. You can make a call or book using the enquiry form in advance.
Report a concern
Report a concern to Campus Security or Safer Community. You take a photo or video and send it directly through the app, call Campus Security or report online.
Safety toolbox
The toolbox has the VU Shuttle Bus timetables, as well as safety tools, including a flash light and safety notification history.