Assault of any kind is not okay. If you or someone you know has been affected by assault, then we encourage you to seek support.
Some forms of assault may also constitute criminal offences, or hate crime.
Verbal assault
Verbal assault makes it an offence to use threatening, abusive or insulting language with the intention of causing someone else harassment, alarm or distress.
Physical assault
Physical assault is any act by which a person intentionally or recklessly causes another to suffer or apprehend immediate unlawful violence. The term assault is often used to include a battery, which is committed by the intentional or reckless application of unlawful force to another person.
Sexual assault
Sexual assault is a criminal offence and contrary to the university bullying and harassment, misconduct and disciplinary procedures. A person commits sexual assault if they intentionally touch another person, the touching is sexual and the person does not consent.
It involves all unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature and ranges from pinching, embracing, groping and kissing, to rape and sexual assault which involves penetration without consent.
Important to know:
- Consent is agreeing by choice and having the freedom and capacity to make that choice.
- A person is free to make a choice if nothing bad would happen to them if they said no.
- Capacity is about whether someone is physically and/or mentally able to make a choice and to understand the consequences of that choice.
For more specific information and guidance around sexual assault, please refer to What is sexual harassment, misconduct and assault?