Sexual harassment support and response tool

The Sexual harassment support and response tool is designed to give employees and employers information and guidance to respond to sexual harassment at work. Evidence tells us that sexual harassment is often underreported or poorly managed. Access to accurate information about response options is important to change this.

This tool is not intended as legal advice.

By helping people to access accurate information about sexual harassment and practical response strategies, the tool aims to make workplaces safer and reduce risk. It has been tested in a pilot program across diverse workplaces as part of an integrated program to address the drivers of inequality at work.

The Sexual harassment support and response tool is a confidential way to get more information about sexual harassment and what to do about it. It sets out concrete steps that can help in responding to incidents of sexual harassment.

Your chats with the response tool will generate some short talking points to help you start a conversation about what’s happened, to intervene in a situation, or to support someone who’s experienced sexual harassment. These talking points are tailored simply according to the choices you select, and you can take screenshots for later use.

At the end of each chat, the tool includes a Services directory to guide employees and employers to access a range of support as needed.

You can use the Sexual harassment support and response tool on a mobile, tablet or laptop or desktop computer. The tool does not collect any personal data.

If you exit before finishing your chat, the next time you visit the tool may ask if you want to finish the chat that you already started, or if you want to start again. To avoid the situation of the tool asking you this question, we recommend that you finish each chat you begin, if possible. You’ll be provided with the option to ‘Start again’ if you wish to check other the conversation pathways.

If you are using a screenreader, you may experience several technical issues navigating through the Sexual harassment support and response tool.

As an alternative, screenreader users may prefer to access information about sexual harassment on our website, which has been maximised for the screenreader experience.

As the tool brings an interactive experience, screenreader users are advised that:

• the tool does not announce each new line of text in your screenreader
• a screenreader will regularly let you know when to ‘CHOOSE AN OPTION’ in the tool. When a screenreader reads out this option, please be aware that it is a very broad instruction. It may be referring to a number of things, such as choosing which pathway you’d like to take next, or simply to click on an interactive button so that the tool can continue.
• there are a number of options that you can choose from as you progress through the resource. While all of these options are displayed as blue buttons, a screenreader may not always recognise that these options are provided for users to choose as a response.

Those using assistive technology may also experience issues with keyboard navigation when operating content in this tool. A screenreader may first recognise a ‘back’ button before reading the options presented for the user to select.

Your confidential use of the Sexual harassment support and response tool is important. The tool does not collect or store your interaction or any personal data. You are having a chat with a bot. You will be the only human involved.

We don’t share any information on how you use the tool or any details of the chats.