Media releases

Federation University Australia is committed to bringing an end to physical, sexual, emotional and psychological harm against women and children by supporting its students, staff, and wider communities throughout the state.

Federation has embedded a whole-of-organisation approach to preventing and responding to gender-based violence and identifying opportunities to prioritise victim-survivor safety in its policies and procedures for staff and students.

With violence against women at epidemic proportions across the country, as a regional university, Federation recognises the key role it has in helping drive the broad societal change needed to end gender-based violence.

Keeping students safe

Federation has numerous procedures and practices to protect its cohort that are student centred, and trauma informed. This is supported by the Student Equity and Inclusion, and Safer Campuses teams that bring together expertise from across the University to monitor and respond to any serious safety concerns.

The University also provides training and awareness opportunities to the entire student cohort on topics including the prevention of gender-based violence, consent, being an active bystander, and contributing to a respectful and inclusive university community. These training programs also cater to specific groups including student leaders and leaders of clubs and societies, and students living on residence.

Other initiatives include Respect@Uni week and Respect and Equality at TAFE Week where students and staff were invited to participate in activities promoting respect, gender equality, inclusion, and the prevention of gender-based harm on campuses and online.

Federation has also recently released the Respectful and Inclusive Communities Action Plan (RICAP) 2024-2026 which addresses the underlying drivers of discrimination, disrespect, and gender-based harm and outlines goals for inclusion and cultivating a culture of safety and respect.

Supporting our staff

To support and protect its workforce, Federation has provisions for staff that are victims of domestic and family violence and aims to ensure a safe working place for staff.

Federation is committed to educating all levels of management and employees on how to identify, respond and refer staff members or students experiencing family and violence to the appropriate support either within or outside the University.

The University has a Family and Domestic Violence Procedure and further support is available via a specialist Domestic and Family Violence Helpline, and a Manager Tip Sheet to help support employees that disclose family or domestic violence. Staff also have access to video training modules on awareness of family violence, controlling behaviours, and violence in the home.

Federation’s Enterprise Agreements offer up to 20 days paid leave per calendar year for family and domestic violence leave to ensure impacted staff can attend appointments, seek safe housing and other activities linked to dealing with domestic violence.

Caring for our community

FedCare Psychology Services offers low-cost individual psychological support for people impacted by violence. Provisional Psychologists supported by a team of highly experienced registered psychologists can support women who have experienced violence, their children and families, and members of the community experiencing grief, loss, or distress in the wake of the recent events in the Ballarat community and beyond.

Individuals who are unable to attend the FedCare clinic at Federation’s Ballarat campus in-person can access a direct and free of charge telehealth service via a partnership with Rural Health Connect without needing to see a GP for a mental health care plan.

FedCare also works in collaboration with other local support agencies including Orange Door and Berry Street and provides educational outreach to the wider Ballarat community through presentations at local schools, community groups and agencies.

Quotes attributable to Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Duncan Bentley

“Federation University Australia is committed to help bring to an end gender-based violence which is a blight on our society and has a devastating impact on our communities. Enough is enough.”

“Earlier this year the Federal Government announced the establishment of an Action Plan Addressing Gender-based Violence in Higher Education, including the establishment of a National Student Ombudsman to help make our places of learning safer. The recent announcement of a one-billion-dollar for ‘leaving violence payments’ to assist women that are trying to leave abusive relationships is another welcome initiative to help victims of gender-based violence.”

“Our University’s core value is enhancing lives and transforming communities, and therefore we are doing all that we can to support our students, staff and wider community to protect them from the threat of gender-based violence. We will continue to work with Local, State, and Federal Government to help create a safe and supportive work and study environment which has zero tolerance of violence in any form.”