Online experiences and learning should be safe, valuable and positive for everyone.
eSafety
Online harm or abuse can occur on social media platforms, through online chats and video messaging services, in online classrooms, in text messages, in emails, on message boards and online forums that allow people to comment publicly. Some examples include:
- Making targeted and persistent personal attacks online that ridicule, insult or humiliate someone.
- Sharing, or threatening to share, an intimate image or video of a person without their consent. This is image-based abuse. It included 'deepfake' AI generated content.
- Blackmailing someone by threatening to share a nude or sexual image or video of them unless they give into demands for money or something else. This form of image-based abuse is called sexual extortion.
- Encouraging someone online to self-harm or die by suicide.
- Cyberstalking - When someone keeps constant track of a person online in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable, worried or threatened.
- Posting someone's personally identifiable information online without their consent to make them feel unsafe. This is called doxing.
- Threatening violence or inciting others to do the same - like saying a person should be killed or raped, whether it leads to assault or not.
Speak out
In 2025, eSafety remains a major focus for the SARC team as technology rapidly evolves.
We take experiences of online abuse seriously. You are not alone and it is not your fault. The University encourages you to report and seek support.
Love bombing
Recent research by the eSafety Commissioner found that young people may be normalising behaviours that can lead to controlling relationships. One example is "love bombing"— excessive romantic gestures often used early in a relationship, that can be used to manipulate or control.
When is ‘love bombing’ coercive control?Visual |
---|
[A series of text messages appear on a phone screen, which cracks more and more as the conversation plays out] |
I miss you who you with? who's there now your ex? |
Just the usual crew |
what's happening tell me wish you didn't leave |
call you later? |
can't believe you left |
im so sorry I had to leave |
you always do this thought you loved me |
[Phone screen moves right and words appear to the left] It isn't love. It's control. |
It isn't love... it's control
Staying safe whilst online dating
Meeting online is a popular way to connect with other people and form relationships. It can happen through dating apps, social media, games or chat platforms. But there are risks with connecting online, and with meeting an online friend in person, so it’s important to know how to keep yourself as safe as possible.
Key risks include:
- Fake profiles and catfishing
- Pressure to share intimate content
- Cyberstalking
- Financial scams and abuse
- Emotional manipulation or harassment
Tips for staying safe:
- Trust your instincts - if something feels off, it probably is
- Limit the personal information you share about yourself online
- Be careful about who you share your location with
- Tell someone you trust if you're planning to meet in person
- Know that it's OK to block or report someone who makes you feel unsafe
Explore more advice and tools on the eSafety Commissioner's Online Dating page.
Min-jun's story
Min-jun recently moved to Australia as part of his university degree. He liked his studies, but it was definitely hard getting used to a new city, a new country and a language he was still learning. He met lots of people, but it was not always easy to make friends. He found dating even harder.
Read more
Resources and tools
The eSafety Commissioner website has resources and tools to support you to have safer and more positive experiences online.
- Resources for young people
- LGBTQIA+ online safety resources
- Types of adult cyber abuse
- What constitutes as image-based abuse
- What is unwanted contact
- How the police can help
The eSafety Commissioner has partnered with Universities Australia to develop the following Toolkits for the University community:
Contact the SARC team
The SARC team is responsible for leading the University’s work to prevent violence, abuse and harassment from occurring on our campuses. They are also responsible for providing a coordinated response and support if it does happen.