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Complaints

Speaking from Experience submission

  • Can you take part?
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  • A bit about you:
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  • Submission received
Are you currently aged 18 or older? Mandatory field
Have you ever experienced any of the following (or similar) behaviours in a workplace or related to your work?

This includes work functions, after-work drinks with colleagues, or during a work trip, from colleagues and management, patients, clients, contractors, students and customers.

  • unwelcome touching, hugging, cornering or kissing 
  • inappropriate staring or leering that made you feel intimidated 
  • sexual gestures, indecent exposure or inappropriate display of the body 
  • sexually suggestive comments or jokes that made you feel offended 
  • sexualised comments or behaviours in relation to your race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or other personal attribute
  • repeated or inappropriate invitations to go out on dates 
  • intrusive questions about your private life or physical appearance that made you feel offended 
  • inappropriate physical contact 
  • being followed, watched or someone loitering nearby 
  • requests or pressure for sex or other sexual acts
  • actual or attempted rape or sexual assault 
  • indecent phone calls, including someone leaving a sexually explicit message on voicemail or an answering machine 
  • sexually explicit comments made in emails, SMS messages or on social media 
  • repeated or inappropriate sexual advances on email, social networking websites, internet chat rooms or other online platforms 
  • seeing or being sent sexually explicit images and videos, cartoons, drawings, photographs, or jokes that made you feel offended 
  • sharing or threatening to share intimate images or video of you without your consent (for example, images or video of you involving sexual activity or nudity) 
  • inappropriate commentary, images or film of you distributed on some form of social media without your consent 
  • any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature (including online or via some form of technology)
Did this experience happen in Australia?

Thank you very much for your interest in taking part in the Speaking from Experience project. We understand this topic is important to you.

We want this process to be helpful and healing for everyone who takes part. This is why we asked the ‘eligibility and screening questions.’

Based on your answers to the eligibility and screening questions, it appears that you may be under 18, or the experiences you shared may not align with our definition of workplace sexual harassment. It's also possible that the incident/s occurred outside of Australia or in a setting unrelated to work. Even though what you went through doesn’t fit with our project, harassment and violence is never okay.

If you are under 18 and receiving this email, your well-being is a priority. You deserve to be seen and be safe. This is the first step towards getting help. If you need support you can reach out to the support services below.

If you have questions about your eligibility, or you think this assessment might be wrong, and you would like to discuss this further, please contact the Speaking from Experience project team via this email: speakingfromexperience@humanrights.gov.au.

Other options you have to seek support:

There are places where you can go for general information, legal support and advice, and emotional support. Please see the list of support services we recommend or consider any of these:

  • Full Stop Australia (139 276): National trauma counselling and recovery service for people of all ages and genders experiencing sexual, domestic and family violence. This service is free and confidential. Available 24/7.
  • Kids Helpline (1800 551 800): Free phone counselling (even from a mobile). Counsellors will listen to and respect what you have to say, what your needs are and how they can help you. 
  • Respect@Work Information Service (1300 656 419, respect@humanrights.gov.au): For information on your legal rights as a worker, advice about making a complaint to the Commission or somewhere else, and to refer you to a service, such as legal or counselling services.
  • 1800Respect (1800 737 732): National sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling, information and support service. This service is free and confidential. Available 24/7.
  • 13YARN (139 276): National crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. They offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24/7.
  • QLife (1800 184 572): Provides Australia-wide LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about a range of issues. Runs 3pm until midnight daily.
  • Lifeline (13 11 14): Offers confidential crisis support and suicide prevention. Available 24/7.
  • Rainbow Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Helpline (1800 497 212): For anyone from the LGBTIQA+ community whose life has been impacted by sexual domestic and/or family violence. This service is free and confidential. Available 24/7.
  • Men’s Line (1300 78 99 78): Offers free confidential counselling and support for men.

Callers who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment can contact the National Relay Service (NRS) by calling 1800 555 677 or 1300 555 727 (speak and listen) then asking for the relevant support service. 

Callers from a non-English speaking background can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) by calling 13 14 50.