University of Western Australia
A safe and respectful community
Keeping our community safe
UWA is committed to ensuring all students and staff can work and study in a safe and inclusive environment. The creation of a safe and respectful community takes action from everyone, every day.
How can I contribute to a safer UWA community?
Get skilled
Build practical skills to call out disrespectful or unsafe behaviour by attending Step Up Bystander Training or Mental Health First Aid Training.
Take action
Be an active bystander and step up to help others or report any safety concerns to UWA Security.
Celebrate success
Nominate your favourite project for a Safer Communities Award. Read more and nominate for an award below.
National Student Safety Survey
Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and feedback in the 2021 National Student Safety Survey. The Survey is an important part of the University's ongoing commitment to ensuring our students, staff and visitors feel respected and that our campus is a safe and inclusive place.
View UWA's report [PDF, 323KB] or the full 2021 National Student Safety Survey.
If this has brought up any issues and you would like to talk to someone, our support services are here. You can also call 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732).
Stay safer at UWA with SafeZone
With the simple press of a button, you'll be connected directly with UWA Security if you ever need help on campus, 24/7. You can access first aid, non-urgent help and emergency assistance, plus be notified if there is an incident on campus that requires you to act.
Learn more and downloadCollaborating makes our community safer
The Safer Communities Working Group was established in 2016 in response to the report by Australian Human Rights Commission. It exists to build a safe, inclusive and supportive campus culture at UWA. Both staff and students are members of the Working Group and come from across the University, including College Row and the Student Guild.
The Working Group is Co-Chaired by the Student Guild President and the Director of Student Life.
Download 2022 report [PDF, 14MB]
Download past reports:
2021[PDF, 1.4MB]
2020 [PDF, 1MB]
2019 [PDF, 850KB]
Highlights and achievements
We are very proud of the work done by both students and staff to help make UWA a safer place. Since the first national survey on this topic in 2016, some of our key initiatives have included:
- Formed the UWA Safer Communities Working Group in partnership with the UWA Student Guild and launched the Safer Communities Award.
- Launched a confidential, specialised Disclosure Service to support students who have been affected by sexual harm with safety planning, academic impacts, fast tracked referrals and information on reporting options.
- Launched an online system for reporting incidents to make the process easier.
- Launched Step Up Bystander Intervention Training and trained over 1,500 students and staff to safely intervene if they hear or see disrespect.
- Commissioned a review of sexual misconduct within the college setting. The majority of recommendations made in the review have since been endorsed and implemented by all colleges and this work is still ongoing.
- Implemented the Ask for Angela initiative at the UWA Tavern.
- Increased the number of Guild student club executives that receive training from the Sexual Assault Resource Centre (SARC).
View the full list of key initiatives [PDF, 102KB].
The 2021 Safer Communities Working Group Report [PDF, 1.4MB] outlines the latest key achievements in safety, inclusion and wellbeing.
Be an active bystander
All staff and students have a role to play in creating a safe community. Be an active bystander against disrespectful or inappropriate behaviour and create a culture of helping. You can help in a range of ways, both directly and indirectly.
Learn more by attending Step Up Bystander Intervention Training for students and staff.
College Row Cultural Review and Taskforce
In October 2017, UWA and the five residential colleges commissioned a review of sexual misconduct within the college setting in accordance to Recommendation 9 from The Australian Human Rights Commission Change the Course Report. The overarching report findings are available in the Report’s Executive Summary. A Taskforce was convened in December 2019 to address the recommendations.
The majority of recommendations and suggested actions have since been endorsed and implemented by all Colleges, or are reflective of the ongoing nature of the recommendations, such as annual training and review. A summary and detailed action plan can be found in the Taskforce 2020 Report.
College Row Cultural Review Report [PDF, 3.2MB]Taskforce Report [PDF, 3.2MB]
The UWA Safer Communities Award recognises the successes of individuals or teams who have delivered projects that create a safe, inclusive and supportive environment at the University in line with the UWA Student Experience Strategy – Experience UWA 2025.
Nominations are encouraged from students and staff across all areas of the University and its affiliates, including the Student Guild and College Row. Nominations are also invited for collaborative projects between teams. Preference will be given to individuals or projects whose contributions extend beyond their usual core business.
Nominations for 2021 have now closed.
Past winners
2021: The UWA International Student Support Team for their Friendship Friday project.
2020: The UWA Student Guild Women's department for their #EndtheViolence week.
2019: The UWA Health Promotion Unit and College Row for their College Row Event Management Toolkit; and The UWA Law School for their Juris Doctor Boarding Pass.
