Unfortunately, we won’t all be safe online, all the time. Any one of us might have a negative experience, ranging from relatively low impact issues like mild criticism or feedback, to more damaging experiences such as cyberbullying (up to 18 years old), adult cyber abuse (18 years and older), image-based abuse or being scammed.
eSafety provides a wide range of online safety resources and info, including a guide on the latest apps, games and social media platforms.
Cyber abuse is behaviour that uses technology to threaten, intimidate, harass or humiliate someone — with the intent to hurt them socially, psychologically or even physically. It can take place in online classrooms, chat and messaging services, social media, text messages, emails, message boards and online forums. Cyber abuse can take many forms including:
Read the eSafety Guide for more information about cyber abuse and what you can do about it.
For anyone targeted by online abuse there are a number of ways to address the issue.
Firstly, difficult as it might be, try not to respond or retaliate. People who post hurtful comments and messages online often do so just to get a reaction.
While your immediate reaction might be to make the abusive content disappear, it’s important to collect evidence that documents what is happening and report the abuse before you block or delete it. eSafety’s advice on collecting evidence can help.
You can report the person or the abusive content to the service or platform where it was posted or shared. You can also report adult cyber abuse to eSafety (if the service or platform has not taken action 48 hours after your complaint to it). Image-based abuse should be reported to eSafety immediately. Then you can use all the tools available to you to block or mute anyone abusing you. If they reappear on a social media service or platform under a different name, block or mute them again.
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:
A scam is a crime in which somebody tries to trick you into giving them your money or to use your identity without permission. A scam is illegal, even if they do not succeed.
A scam is a crime in which somebody tries to trick you into giving them your money or to use your identity without permission. A scam is illegal, even if they do not succeed.
Scams generally involve organisations or individuals operating under unregistered names. Scams often prey on people’s vulnerability and use lies and tricks to convince you they are genuine. Scams can occur in places that you trust and anyone can be fooled by a clever scam.
Remember: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
There are some common warning signs that indicate someone may be trying to scam you. Be mindful of the following:
So how do you protect yourself when you’re away from home, speaking a foreign language and aren’t always sure what’s official and who’s trustworthy?
While the University uses email for a number of important updates, there are some simple steps you can take to ensure that an email is legitimate, and if in doubt, don’t click! Check with the area or person that the email purports to be from whether it is a legitimate communication. University of South Australia emails should have the domain unisa.edu.au.
Key things to look out for include:
International students are limited to 48 hours of work per fortnight when your course is in session and unlimited hours in out of session periods. Work conditions for your visa can be found on the Department of Home Affairs website.
It’s essential to understand your rights in the workplace.
There are other rules about work in Australia, such as the times you can work and how often you have a break. To find information about the minimum pay rates and entitlements for your job visit the Fair Work Ombudsman website. Getting help to resolve a workplace issue will not automatically affect your student visa.
Do:
If you've lost money to a scam or given out your personal details to a scammer, you're unlikely to get your money back. However there are steps you can take straight away to limit the damage and protect yourself from further loss.
ScamWatch has information on where to go for help, including how to report a scam.
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: