Examples of unacceptable behaviour

Bullying is repeated, intentional behaviour that causes distress or threatens someone’s wellbeing. It often involves a power imbalance, where a person uses influence or control to make someone feel helpless or less powerful.

Examples include:

• Keeping someone from a group (online or offline)
• Acting unpleasantly toward or around someone
• Using nasty looks, rude gestures, name-calling, impolite behaviour, or persistent negative teasing
• Spreading rumours or lies, or impersonating someone online 
• “Mucking around” that goes too far
• Intentionally stalking someone.

For further information, please refer to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Victimisation is unfairly treating someone because they made or supported a complaint, either within the University or through an external agency.

Racism can take many forms, dividing people based on race, culture, or country of origin. It may involve prejudice, discrimination, stereotyping, exclusion, hostile behaviour, offensive jokes or comments, or systemic practices that limit opportunities. Racism can be overt or subtle, intentional or unintentional.

What to do as a bystander

Increase your awareness

• Welcome and value people from diverse racial, cultural, religious and ethnic backgrounds.
• Challenge assumptions and ask questions to understand different experiences.
• Be aware of racist attitudes, language, stereotypes and behaviours.
• Recognise that silence condones racism and take personal responsibility to challenge it.
• Learn about the impacts of racism, past and present.
• Educate yourself through workshops or cultural training.

Take action

• Support someone who is targeted by racist behaviour.
• Speak up against racist comments, jokes or assumptions.
• Challenge bias and ensure processes (like forms or interview questions) are culturally inclusive.
• Model respectful and inclusive language and behaviour.
• Promote mutual respect and create learning environments that reflect diverse perspectives.
• Review teaching materials for diversity and celebrate cultural differences at relevant events.
• Create opportunities for students and staff to learn from one another.

Become a champion of anti-racism

• Challenge institutional barriers that disadvantage underrepresented or marginalised groups.
• Recognise how systems may uphold the power of dominant groups.
• Support initiatives and research that empower underrepresented groups.
• Establish mentoring programs and discussion groups to address racism and cultural exclusion.
• Use your personal and organisational influence to challenge institutional racism.

Bystanders are encouraged to report racism. Speaking up can stop an incident, prevent escalation, and reduce harm.

Gender-based violence is any form of physical or non-physical violence, harassment, abuse or threats, based on gender, that results in, or is likely to result in harm, coercion, control, fear of the deprivation of liberty.

This includes:

• Physical violence (assault, intimate partner violence)
  
• Sexual violence (assault, harassment, non-consensual image sharing)
  
• Emotional and psychological abuse (stalking, intimidation, coercive control)
  
• Economic abuse (restricting access to money, education, or employment).

Under the Equal Opportunity Act (1984), sexual harassment occurs when someone:

• Makes an unwelcome sexual advance 
• Makes an unwelcome request for sexual favours, or
• Engages in other unwelcome sexual conduct.

in circumstances where a reasonable person would expect the behaviour to offend, humiliate or intimidate the other person.   

The Equal Opportunity Commission website provides helpful information and examples. 

People of any gender can experience or perpetrate sexual harassment. It is judged from the perspective of the person who feels harassed, regardless of the intent behind the behaviour.

Examples of sexual harassment

• Unwelcome touching or kissing
• Commenting on a person's appearance
• Sexual jokes, comments or name-calling
• Leering or staring
• Sexual pictures, objects, emails, texts or other materials  
• Direct or implied propositions or requests for dates
• Asking about someone’s sexual history or sexual activities.

Mutual attraction or consensual friendship is not sexual harassment.

Sexual assault includes a range of criminal offences such as rape, indecent assault, and any unwanted sexual touching or contact.

Sexual assault is never the victim’s fault. Responsibility always lies with the perpetrator. 

Sexual assault does not require physical force – it can include any sexual act that occurs without consent or crosses personal boundaries of consent.  

Visit The Line for clear information on consent and respectful relationships. If you have experienced sexual assault or are unsure whether you consented to a sexual activity, confidential support is available. 

Adelaide University’s Counselling Support can help students get the support they need to manage the effects of sexual assault. This includes discussing the options available if you want to make a formal report. Please note, information discussed at Counselling Support is not shared or reported further without your written consent, subject to legal requirements. 

Adelaide University Student Care Advocates offer independent confidential support and information to all students enrolled at the Adelaide University. Information discussed with Student Care Advocates are not shared or reported further without your written consent, subject to legal requirements. Additional information, including contact details, will be provided soon.