Respect. Now. Always.

Describing the priorities and actions for RNA, the Action Plan was developed in consultation with students and staff stakeholders from across the University.

Download the Sexual Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan 2024-2026

Previous Action Plans

• Respect. Now. Always 2018–20
• 2019–2020 Action Plan Progress report

In July 2023 Macquarie University launched a new online education unit for all students currently studying with us. Safer Communities @ MQ helps foster a safer environment by helping students understand important aspects of relationships.

The unit covers:

• consent in relationships
• what constitutes a healthy relationship
• sex education including safer sex, STI prevention and testing
• alcohol and drug safety
• information about reporting and support and security services.

All Macquarie staff and students can access and complete the Safer Communities @ MQ course on iLearn.

Sextember is Macquarie's annual sex-positive festival that embraces and educates our community on safe, healthy and respectful relationships with themselves and others.

Macquarie University is considered an industry leader in terms of our support and report systems for all inappropriate and unwanted behaviour experienced by students and staff. We continue to update our services in line with the data and feedback we receive to ensure our staff and students are able to access support as easily as possible.

Macquarie University is one of two universities selected nationwide to pilot the implementation phase of Our Watch’s Educating for Equality model, implementing a whole of university approach to the prevention of gender-based violence.

The Student Equity and Inclusion team coordinate workshops and resources for students in the area of gender-based violence prevention and response. Our workshops are free for all Macquarie students to join and provide opportunities for students to develop skills which will help build a safer and more inclusive community for all. For more information contact the team at respect@mq.edu.au.

The Student Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy removes some of the barriers students face in reporting and seeking support, with the introduction of reporting, including anonymous reporting via a simple online report form: Report inappropriate or unwanted behaviour. This form can be used by any student or staff member to report incidents of sexual harassment or sexual harassment which involve students.

The Student Policy outlines behaviours which are not accepted by Macquarie University, what consent means in relation to those behaviours, how reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment concerning students can be made to the University, and how the University will respond to a report about sexual assault or sexual harassment committed by a student.

In 2022 the policy was revised and updated to reflect the introduction of  'affirmative consent' in NSW criminal law, and to make the policy more readable and effective.

The Staff Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response Policy brings our community’s attention to the important issue of workplace sexual harassment.

The Staff Policy details what workplace sexual harassment is and how it might show up in our community. It articulates the rights, role and responsibilities of all staff and affiliates, and the part we all play in challenging problematic behaviours and building a culture of respect.

The Staff Policy also explains how staff can seek support and report sexual harassment.