The University of South Australia has a zero-tolerance policy regarding discrimination, bullying and harassment.
Bullying, discrimination and harassment are never okay. Whether direct or indirect, intentional or unintentional, these behaviours can occur in person or via remote, digital or cyber means. Find out more about what these behaviours look like and available support below.
It is often useful to have someone to talk to about your feelings, fears and concerns. Professional counselling can offer you someone to talk to and can provide you with information about your support and reporting options, in a safe and confidential manner.
For students:
Counselling for students is free of charge and available from Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm. You can book an appointment online or by phone:
For staff:
The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is free of charge and available to all UniSA employees and their immediate family. Appointments are available from Monday to Friday, 9am - 5.00pm and can be booked by calling:
UniSA’s Campus Security is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
(Out-of-Hours runs between 5pm and 9am on weekdays and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays).
The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is an independent statutory organisation, established by an act of Federal Parliament. We protect and promote human rights in Australia and internationally. You can make a complaint to the AHRC no matter where you live in Australia and it doesn’t cost anything to make a complaint.
The National Centre Against Bullying (NCAB) is a peak body working to advise and inform the Australian community on the issue of childhood bullying and the creation of safe schools and communities, including the issue of cyber safety.
Bullying is an ongoing misuse of power in relationships causing physical and/or psychological harm.
Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening.
Bullying can happen in person or online, via various digital platforms and devices and it can be obvious (overt) or hidden (covert). Bullying behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time (for example, through sharing of digital records).
Bullying of any form or for any reason can have immediate, medium and long-term effects on those involved, including bystanders.
Single incidents and conflict or fights between equals, whether in person or online, are not defined as bullying.
Equal Opportunity law protects people from bullying based on personal characteristics such as race, religion or sexuality.
What bullying is not:
These actions can cause great distress. However, they do not fit the definition of bullying and they’re not examples of bullying unless someone is deliberately and repeatedly doing them.
Cyberbullying is a form of bullying online. It can occur in many ways:
For more information on how to identify cyber abuse, cyberbullying and image-based abuse, check out the eSafety Commissioner's webpage.
Sometimes people do not realise that their behaviour can be harmful to others. This does not make it okay.
If you are experiencing bullying, tell trusted people in your support network that you’re being bullied and how this is impacting you. This can include friends, family, neighbours, work mates, peers or staff at university. Staying silent can make a person who is being targeted by bullying to feel dis-empowered.
If you witness someone experiencing bullying, you can help by choosing to be an active bystander if it is safe to do so. Examples are:
Metropolitan campuses/UniSA Online students
1300 301 703
Mount Gambier campus
(08) 8723 1999
Whyalla campus
(08) 8645 8233
Discrimination may occur when distinctions are made between individuals or groups so as to disadvantage some and advantage others. It can be classified as either direct or indirect.
Discrimination happens when a person, or a group of people, is treated less favourably than another person or group because of their background or certain personal characteristics. This is known as ‘direct discrimination’.
It is also discrimination when an unreasonable rule or policy applies to everyone but has the effect of disadvantaging some people because of a personal characteristic they share. This is known as ‘indirect discrimination’.
Direct Discrimination - when someone is treated less favourably than another person or group in a similar situation because of personal characteristics protected by law.
Indirect Discrimination - when an unreasonable requirement, condition or practice is imposed that has, or is likely to have, the effect of disadvantaging people with a personal characteristic protected by law.
Protected Personal Characteristics include:
It is also against the law to treat someone unfavourably because you assume they have a personal characteristic or may have it at some time in the future.
Harassment occurs when uninvited or unwelcome behaviour causes someone, or a group of people, to feel intimidated, insulted or humiliated. It can occur in a single incident or a series of incidents. Harassment may also be experienced as a result of witnessing behaviour not directed to that person e.g. overhearing an unacceptable joke. Each person perceives things differently as their values and experiences are unique to them. As such, they may react differently to how someone might expect.
Harassment can be against the law when a person is treated less favourably based on certain personal characteristics, such as race, sex, pregnancy, marital status, breastfeeding, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or intersex status. Some limited exemptions and exceptions apply.
Harassment can include:
The law also has specific provisions relating to certain types of harassment.
A single incident is enough to constitute harassment – it doesn’t have to be repeated.
Racial harassment is another form of serious harassment. It describes any unwelcome conduct which can offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate a person because of colour, race, nationality, social or ethnic origin or extraction. It can range from relatively minor abuse to physical violence. It can be discriminatory remarks, jokes, behaviours, images or practices which show racial intolerance against another person.
Racial vilification occurs when someone incites or encourages hatred, serious contempt, revulsion or severe ridicule against another person or group on the grounds of their race and/or religion.