About the Review
The Victorian Courts Review will consider sexual harassment in the context of Victoria’s courts and will identify opportunities to prevent harassment, and improve reporting and support for those who experience it.
While the Review will not address or investigate individual complaints, it is actively seeking to be informed by people who have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment within Victoria’s court system, VCAT or other relevant individuals (such as family members).
This includes interactions with the judiciary and VCAT members, Court Services staff and other people working or attending courts or the Tribunal, such as witnesses, police prosecutors, volunteers, lawyers or mediators.
It includes sexual harassment experienced in courts and VCAT as a workplace, as well as at related events (such as social events) that occur outside of court and VCAT buildings. It also includes conduct by judges, magistrates and other court staff regardless of when or where it occurred.
We are interested in hearing about your experience with all forms of sexual harassment regardless of how serious or minor the conduct may seem.
Read more on the Victorian Courts Review website.
About the Commission’s role
The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has been invited to support the review as a research partner. We are responsible for conducting interviews and receiving information from participants, and de-identifying and coding that information.
The Victorian Courts Review is not a formal complaint process. However, if you wish to make a formal complaint we can give you information about how make a complaint to us or another organisation.
Hotline: 1300 395 726 open 10am–4pm, Mon–Fri
Email:
courtsreview@veohrc.vic.gov.au
Interpreter: 1300 152 494
Hearing impaired: 1800 555 660 (NRS Helpdesk)
Read more about our role in the Victorian Courts Review.
Understanding sexual harassment
The law defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual behaviour that causes a person to feel offended, humiliated or intimidated, where a reasonable person could have anticipated that reaction in the circumstances.
Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal or written.
Read more about sexual harassment.
Privacy and confidentiality
Your privacy is one of our key concerns. The Commission has strong experience in the sensitive, careful management of issues around sexual harassment.
We have established processes in place to ensure only authorised Commission staff have access to names and contact details. The information you provide to us will only be used for research purposes to inform the Review and to allow us to contact you in relation to your participation. No identifying details will be passed on to the review team or published in the final report.
If you disclose information relating to another person, including a victim/survivor or perpetrator, that information will be de-identified and will not be disclosed to a third party unless determined necessary and in compliance with s 76 of the Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).
We will collect, store and destroy all personal information in accordance with the information privacy principles contained in the Privacy and Data Protection Act. The secrecy provision in the Equal Opportunity Act prevents the Commission from sharing your personal information with third parties without your consent. Exceptional circumstances may apply.
Read the Commission’s privacy policy.
Options to take part
Using this form you can:
make a submission. All submissions must be received by close of business
Friday 30 October 2020
register for a confidential telephone interview. Please register your interest to participate in an interview by close of business
Friday 23 October 2020
.
You can also ask us to contact you to discuss your options.
How would you like to take part in the Courts Review?
*
Make a submission
Register for a confidential phone interview
Request a phone call to discuss your options
Your information
Would you like to remain anonymous ?
No
Yes
Please note: ALL submissions are confidential and will be de-identified before being shared with the Review or published.
You should only check the 'yes' box to remain anonymous if you do not want the Commission to know your name and contact details.
To receive a copy of your submission please enter your email address below. (If you choose to remain anonymous your email address will not be shared with the Commission.)
Hidden
Anonymous Invisible
No
Yes
Please note: ALL submissions are confidential and will be de-identified before being shared with the Review or published. You should only check the 'yes' box to remain anonymous if you do not want the Commission to know your name and contact you about your submission.
Name
Email
Please check the email address you enter carefully to make sure it is correct.
Contact number
Make a submission
By making a submission to the Review, you can tell us about your experience in your own words. We have provided some guiding questions to help you but these are optional and you may respond to any or none of them.
If you have previously provided a written statement or complaint to another government agency or complaints body, or to the police, you may like to upload a copy (accepted file formats PDF, DOC, DOCX, JPG. Max file size 2MB).
All submissions must be received by close of business on
Friday 30 October 2020
.
What would you like to tell us about your experience or knowledge of sexual harassment in the Victorian courts system?
*
Have you reported or made a complaint about your experience/s?
What impact did the sexual harassment and response have on you or on others?
Are there any suggestions or recommendations you would like to share, including any examples of what worked well or ideas for how things could be done better?
Is there anything else you would like to share with the review?
File upload
Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 2 MB.
Files up to 2MB can be uploaded in the following formats: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx.
By making this submission I consent to my de-identified information being aggregated and analysed to inform the Review into Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts. Unless I made an anonymous submission, I consent to the Commission using my contact information to communicate with me about my submission.
*
Yes
Please note: if you chose to make an anonymous submission the Commission will not have access to your contact details and will not contact you.
Register for a confidential phone interview
By taking part in an interview, you will have an opportunity to share your experience with a supportive Commission team member.
Interviews will take place in September and October 2020. Please register your interest to take part in an interview by 23 October 2020.
Interview process
Interviews will be approximately one to one-and-a-half hours and will take place over the telephone. They will be recorded and professionally transcribed.
We will also invite you to complete a short (five-minute questionnaire) before the interview. These questions will allow us to collect de-identified demographic data, as well as to gain a high-level understanding of your experience, which will be further discussed during the interview.
The interviews will be semi-structured and conducted in a way that is informal and conversational. The interview is designed to allow you to tell your story in your own words, and in a way you feel comfortable. The interviewer will then ask several follow up questions about:
the nature of the harassment
your experience (if relevant) of reporting the conduct
the impact the harassment had on you and others
what you would like to see change within the Victorian court system to prevent sexual harassment and improve responses.
You do not have to answer all or any of the questions. They are designed to allow the Review to identify key themes and systemic issues, and to help develop recommendations.
When would you like us to contact you?
(For example, during business hours, or after 4pm)
Preferred contact method
Phone
Email
Request a phone call to discuss your options
If you would like to take part in the Courts Review but want more information about your options, please let us know how and when to contact you, and a Commission staff member will be in touch.
When would you like us to contact you?
(For example, during business hours, or after 4pm)
Preferred contact method
Phone
Email
