Sexual misconduct, bullying, harassment, and discrimination support

UQ Safer Communities – creating a safer UQ for everyone.

Emergency support

UQ Safer Communities

Experiences of sexual misconduct, bullying, harassment or discrimination can be distressing and overwhelming. Seeking support can feel difficult, especially when your sense of safety or wellbeing has been impacted. Support is available and you can reach out in the way that feels most comfortable for you.

UQ Safer Communities provides confidential, compassionate support to students, staff and members of the broader UQ community relating to inappropriate, concerning or threatening behaviour.

Incidents may be recent or historical and may have occurred at UQ or in non-UQ settings, in Australia or overseas.

You don’t need to have all the answers, and you don’t need to know what to do next. Our specialist team is here to listen and help.

Quick exit

Our support services

Our trained team provides person-centred support, prioritising your safety, wellbeing and choice, including:

  • advice, support, and a range of trauma-informed services
  • internal and external referrals into specialised services including counselling
  • safety planning support
  • organising study, placement and workplace adjustments
  • coordinating any practical and welfare support
  • information and advice to help you consider reporting options
  • education, training, and prevention programs.

Get support 24/7

Phone: + 61 7 3443 1000

Email: safercommunities@uq.edu.au

Online: complete the online form to get support from our UQ Safer Communities team and disclose an incident.

Additional support

Students: UQ Mental Health Crisis Line (1300 851 998) for urgent mental health support 24/7 or text a crisis counsellor on 0488 884 115 (outside business hours: 4.30pm–8am weekdays and on weekends).

Staff: UQ’s Employee Assistance Program offers free and confidential support services for staff and their immediate family members.

Quick exit

How you can help

If someone shares an experience of gender-based violence or other inappropriate behaviour with you, how you respond matters. You don’t need to be an expert to help.

Listen

Show you are listening by giving them your full attention, nodding occasionally to show support and understanding and encouraging the speaker with small verbal supports such as 'yes' and 'I understand'. Be non-judgemental when you respond. Avoid interrupting, asking 'why' questions, or talking about your own experiences.

Support

Acknowledge the person’s experience and the difficulty they may have faced in disclosing it. Thank them for telling you and check that they are safe. Phrases like, 'I’m here with you' or 'Thank you for telling me' help show support for the person without pressuring them to speak further about the details of what happened.

Refer

The best thing you can do is to outline the support services that are available to them so that they can make their own decision about their next steps. It’s important you don’t provide a person with misleading advice and instead, put them in touch with experts who can help them.

You can refer them to UQ Safer Communities for support, or for advice about next steps.

External support organisations

Free, confidential support is also available 24/7 through external services across Australia, including:

  • Lifeline 131 114 or chat line 0477 131 114
  • 13 YARN (139 276) or www.13yarn.org.au provides confidential and culturally safe support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
  • QLife provides peer support and referral for the LGBTIQ+ community
  • 1800 Respect (24/7 support for people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence) – 1800 737 732
  • Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) for 24/7 acute response after sexual assault – +61 7 3646 5207

Details of other organisations and agencies are included on the Queensland Government website.

The UQ Safer Communities team can also support you to reach out to these organisations.

National Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence

Read UQ’s response to the National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence 2025.