Published on 30 Oct 2025

Developing a Stand-Alone Sexual Misconduct Policy for University of Melbourne

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Linda Gyorki Director Consulting (AU) Contact me

Allen + Clarke partnered with the University of Melbourne to develop a best practice, stand-alone policy which addressed sexual harassment and sexual assault. Through a detailed review of existing frameworks and broad stakeholder consultation, we identified the gaps in existing processes, and created a clear, victim-centred policy. This collaboration established a centralised approach for managing disclosures and complaints of sexual harassment and assault, improving support for victim-survivors. 

Key Takeaways 

  • The stand-alone policy created a single reference point that unifies the approach to sexual misconduct for students, staff and the broader University community. 

  • Extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders ensured the policy reflected varied perspectives and lived experiences. 

  • The principles-based policy established clear processes, timeframes and support pathways, enhancing accountability and transparency. 
Read the final policy here

Recognising the Need

The University of Melbourne recognised the need to strengthen its approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct. While existing policies addressed aspects of sexual harassment and sexual assault, there was no comprehensive framework that unified the University's approach across its community. 

Allen + Clarke brought specialist expertise in policy development to this sensitive project. Our understanding of best practice policy approaches and trauma-informed principles positioned us to help the University develop a response that would meet the needs of victim-survivors while establishing robust internal processes. 

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Our Approach

Our approach focused on creating a policy that would be both principled and practical: 

  • Comprehensive review - we examined the existing policies to identify gaps and areas for improvement. 

  • Targeted consultation - we engaged with a cross-section of the University community, prioritising people with lived experience, and those with management responsibilities. 

  • Principles-based drafting - we developed a clear policy statement that established the University's commitment to addressing sexual misconduct and outlined specific processes for incident management. 

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Colourful speech bubbles overlapping silhouettes in conversation

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Our findings

The review identified several opportunities in the University's existing approach. The findings highlighted the need for a stand-alone policy that would provide a clear statement of intent, establish consistent management processes, and demonstrate the University's prioritisation of this critical issue.

We collaborated with the University to develop the Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response (SMPR) policy. This stand-alone policy addressed the key findings of our review and created a unified approach applicable to students, staff and other community members.

The consultation process was deliberately inclusive and comprehensive. We engaged with Murrup Barak, researchers, academic and professional staff, HR managers, University Colleges, Academic Board officers, the Pride in Action Network, student unions, international students, and University leadership. This broad engagement ensured the policy reflected a range of perspectives and addressed the needs of community members.

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As a living document, the policy will undergo regular external review and amendments to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the University community.

The Resulting Policy

The resulting policy reaffirmed the University's approach to sexual misconduct:

  • Clear commitment - the policy explicitly stated the University's commitment to eliminating sexual misconduct across all University activities. 

  • Comprehensive Scope - the policy extended to all University activities whether on campus, off campus or online. 

  • Transparent processes - the policy clearly outlined the steps for disclosures and formal complaints, including timeframes and decision-makers. 

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Interconnected coloured pathways forming abstract network diagram