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1 Systems and institutions

Outcome 1: Systems and institutions effectively support and protect people impacted by gender-based violence.

This dashboard allows people to explore the sub-outcome measures with an available data source, including a baseline. 

Measures for which there is currently no available data source to measure progress are outlined in the future development work for the Performance Measurement Plan. For more information, see the DSS website.

Systems and institutions are culturally safe, accessible and inclusive

  • People who were sexually harassed in a university context who sought help from the university

    Sexual harassment is defined in the data source for this measure as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favours or conduct of a sexual nature in relation to the person harassed in circumstances where a reasonable person would have anticipated the possibility that the person harassed would be offended, humiliated or intimidated.

    Sub-outcome: 1.3 Systems and institutions are culturally safe, accessible, inclusive, trauma- informed and centre lived experience

    Indicator: Increased confidence and trust in the systems and institutions to respond to gender-based violence and keep communities safe

    Baseline: 2021

    Baseline value: 3%

    Latest year: 3% in 2021

    Source: National Student Safety Survey

    Students who had experienced sexual harassment who made a formal report or complaint to their university, 2021

  • People who were sexually assaulted in a university context who sought help from the university

    Sexual assault is defined in the data source for this measure as any unwanted sexual acts/contact that happened in circumstances where a person was either forced, threatened, pressured, tricked, or no effort was made to check whether there was agreement to the act, including in circumstances where a person was asleep or affected by drugs or alcohol.

    Sub-outcome: 1.3 Systems and institutions are culturally safe, accessible, inclusive, trauma- informed and centre lived experience

    Indicator: Increased confidence and trust in the systems and institutions to respond to gender-based violence and keep communities safe

    Baseline: 2021

    Baseline value: 5.6%

    Latest year: 5.6% in 2021

    Source: National Student Safety Survey

    Students who had experienced sexual assault who made a formal report or complaint to their university, 2021

  • Women who experienced sexual assault where the incident was reported to police

    Sexual assault is defined in the data source for this measure as an act of a sexual nature carried out against a person's will through the use of physical force, intimidation or coercion, including any attempts to do this. Police contact may include contact that did and did not amount to a formal report.

    Sub-outcome: 1.3 Systems and institutions are culturally safe, accessible, inclusive, trauma-informed and centre lived experience

    Indicator: Increased confidence and trust in the systems and institutions to respond to gender-based violence and keep communities safe

    Baseline: 2021–22

    Baseline value: 9.5%

    Latest year: 9.5% in 2021–22

    Source: ABS Personal Safety Survey

    Women who experienced sexual assault by a male in the last 5 years where the incident was reported to police, 2005 to 2021–22

    ^: statistically significant difference to the 2021–22 reporting rate.

Workplaces are safe from violence, sexual harassment and sex discrimination

  • Workplaces with strategies in place targeting sexual harassment

    This measure reports organisations with formal policies or strategies in place targeting sexual harassment. Under the Workplace Gender Equality Act (Cth) 2012, relevant employers with 100 or more employees must report to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) annually on six gender equality indicators.

    Sub-outcome: 1.5 Workplaces are safe from all forms of gender-based violence and are actively preventing sexual harassment and discrimination

    Indicator: Increased use of best practice for preventing and responding to bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace

    Baseline: 2022–23

    Baseline value: 98%

    Latest year: 99% in 2024–25

    Source: Workplace Gender Equality Agency

    Workplaces with strategies targeting sexual harassment, 2015–16 to 2024–25

  • People who experienced sexual harassment in the workplace

    Sexual harassment is considered to have occurred if a person had been sexually harassed according to the legal definition or if they had experienced any of the behaviours in an extensive list of behaviours provided to them. The list of behaviours provided includes acts which would be measured elsewhere as sexual assault.

    Sub-outcome: 1.5 Workplaces are safe from all forms of gender-based violence and are actively preventing sexual harassment and discrimination

    Indicator: Increased use of best practice for preventing and responding to bullying, sexual harassment and sexual assault in the workplace

    Baseline: 2022

    Baseline value: 33%

    Latest year: 33% in 2022

    Source: AHRC National survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces

    People who experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the 5 years prior to the survey, 2018 and 2022

  • People who made a report or complaint about sexual harassment in the workplace

    Sexual harassment is considered to have occurred if a person had been sexually harassed according to the legal definition or if they had experienced any of the behaviours in an extensive list of behaviours provided to them. The list of behaviours provided includes acts which would be measured elsewhere as sexual assault.

    A formal report or complaint involves making an internal report or complaint to a designated person in the workplace as outlined in a workplace’s relevant policy or procedure. It can also involve making a report or complaint to an external agency.

    Sub-outcome: 1.5 Workplaces are safe from all forms of gender-based violence and are actively preventing sexual harassment and discrimination

    Indicator: Increased confidence by people to report sexual harassment and discrimination including racism

    Baseline: 2022

    Baseline value: 18%

    Latest year: 18% in 2022

    Source: AHRC National survey on sexual harassment in Australian workplaces

    People who experienced sexual harassment in the workplace in the 5 years prior to the survey who made a formal report or complaint, 2018 and 2022

  • Complaints received and finalised under the Sex Discrimination Act

    The Sex Discrimination Act gives effect to some of Australia’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and other relevant international instruments including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Australia and promotes equality between women and men. One complaint may raise multiple grounds and may include claims of both direct and indirect discrimination.

    Sub-outcome: 1.5 Workplaces are safe from all forms of gender-based violence and are actively preventing sexual harassment and discrimination

    Indicator: Increased confidence by people to report sexual harassment and discrimination including racism

    Baseline: 2022–23

    Baseline value: 561 complaints received; 461 complaints finalised

    Latest year: 634 complaints received and 501 complaints finalised in 2024–25

    Source: AHRC Complaint statistics

    Complaints received and finalised under the Sex Discrimination Act, 2021–22 to 2024–25 (Number)

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