COMMUNICATIONS KIT Contains messages for you to share

COMMUNICATIONS KIT Contains messages for you to share with staff and stakeholders September 2020

CONTENTS • Introduction to the Review • Fact Sheet • All-staff email text • Stakeholder email text • Intranet or website news story • Linked. In post

INTRODUCTION Research consistently reveals that sexual harassment occurs in all industries and sectors – including our court system and legal profession. This needs to change. That’s why the Victorian Government and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria have established the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts, led by Dr Helen Szoke AO. This independent Review will draw on the available evidence, submissions from organisations, and be informed by those who have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in the courts or the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). We are seeking: • • to be informed by those who have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in Victoria’s court system; and submissions from organisations and agencies that deal with the courts. We have produced this kit to help you share information about the Review with your network. By encouraging staff and stakeholders to visit our website, share their experiences (where relevant), and make submissions, you are helping to inform meaningful change and make our courts and VCAT safe and respectful workplaces for everybody. Submissions to the Review are open until 30 October 2020. If you have any queries feel free to call us on 03 9032 0315 or email SHReview@courts. vic. gov. au.

FACT SHEET Provided here as a PNG file and available separately as a PDF file.

TEXT FOR ALL-STAFF EMAIL Submissions are now open for the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behaviour whether it is physical, verbal or written. It is against the law, but it happens in too many workplaces, including our courts. This independent Review has been established by the Victorian Government and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. It will address how our courts and VCAT can better support people who experience sexual harassment, increase reporting and accountability in these workplaces, and prevent future occurrences. Submissions close on Friday, 30 October 2020. You can share your personal experience confidentially with the Review If you have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in Victorian courts or VCAT, the Review is keen to hear from you. While they will not investigate specific complaints, stories of lived experience will help to ensure the Review’s recommendations meet the needs of individuals. The Review team has partnered with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) to provide a safe and confidential way to tell your story. If you provide information – either in writing or over the telephone – to the VEOHRC you can be assured of your privacy and confidentiality. You may also share information anonymously. To find out more about the Review and how to share individual experiences go to www. shreview. courts. vic. gov. au. You can also call the VEOHRC Harassment hotline on 1300 395 726, open 10 am-4 pm, Monday to Friday, or email courtsreview@veohrc. vic. gov. au or go to www. humanrights. vic. gov. au/courts-review. Sharing your experience of sexual harassment can be distressing, and it can help to have access to experienced support. If you contact VEOHRC to share information about your experience you will be offered information and referrals to support services. Contacts for support services are also available on the support page of the Review’s website. Contribute to our organisational submission We believe our organisational perspective is important and are working on a submission to the Review. We welcome your insights as we prepare this. [insert how staff can provide their suggestions and recommendations and the closing date ]. This Review will inform meaningful change and hold each of these workplaces accountable for making it happen. It is an important step towards making our courts and tribunal a safe and respectful workplace for everybody.

TEXT FOR STAKEHOLDER EMAIL Submissions are now open for the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts. Sexual harassment is unwelcome sexual behaviour whether it is physical, verbal or written. It is against the law, but it happens in too many workplaces, including our courts. This independent Review has been established by the Victorian Government and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. It will address how our courts and VCAT can better support people who experience sexual harassment, increase reporting and accountability in these workplaces, and prevent future occurrences. Submissions close on Friday, 30 October 2020. We believe our organisation’s perspective and experience is important and are working on a submission to the Review. We’d like to encourage you to take a look at the Review’s website at www. shreview. courts. vic. gov. au. On this website you can learn more about the scope of the Review, how the Review team (led by Dr Helen Szoke AO) is seeking input, and subscribe for updates of the Review process and outcomes. You can also share your personal experience confidentially If you have experienced or witnessed sexual harassment in Victorian courts or VCAT the Review is keen to hear from you. While they will not investigate specific complaints, stories of lived experience will help to ensure the Review’s recommendations meet the needs of individuals. The Review team has partnered with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) to provide a safe and confidential way to tell your story. If you provide information to the VEOHRC – either in writing or over the telephone – you can be assured of your privacy and confidentiality. You may also share information anonymously. Information about how to share individual experiences is available on the website. You can also call the VEOHRC Harassment hotline on 1300 395 726 open 10 am-4 pm, Monday to Friday or email courtsreview@veohrc. vic. gov. au or go to www. humanrights. vic. gov. au/courts-review. Sharing your experience of sexual harassment can be distressing, and it can help to have access to experienced support. If you contact VEOHRC to share information about your experience you will be offered information and referrals to support services. Contacts for support services are also available on the support page of the Review’s website. This Review will inform meaningful change and hold each of these workplaces accountable for making it happen. It is an important step towards making our courts and tribunal a safe and respectful workplace for everybody.

NEWS STORY FOR WEBSITE OR INTRANET While sexual harassment is against the law, it happens in too many workplaces, including our courts. Research shows more than one in three Victorian legal professionals have personally experienced sexual harassment at work. And yet eight out of ten people who experienced sexual harassment in the legal sector did not report it. Even less people report sexual harassment when they witness it. This needs to change. Everybody has the right to feel safe and be safe at work. So we are pleased that the Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts has been established by the Victorian Government and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Led by Dr Helen Szoke AO, the Review will address how our courts and VCAT can better support people who experience sexual harassment, increase reporting and accountability in these workplaces, and prevent future occurrences. The Review is seeking input from organisations and individuals until 30 October 2020. Find out more about how to share your views and experience at www. shreview. courts. vic. gov. au.

LINKEDIN POST Sexual harassment is against the law. Despite this it still happens in many workplaces – including our courts. More than one in three Victorian legal professionals have personally experienced sexual harassment at work. Eight out of ten people who experienced sexual harassment in the legal sector did not report it. Even less people report sexual harassment when they witnessed it in our courts and legal system. So it’s good that the Victorian Government and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria are taking action to address this. The Review of Sexual Harassment in Victorian Courts and VCAT will identify opportunities to prevent harassment, improve reporting and support for those who experience it. Led by Dr Helen Szoke AO, the Review is seeking input from organisations and individuals until 30 October 2020. They’ve partnered with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) to provide a safe and confidential way to for people to tell their story. Find out more at www. shreview. courts. vic. gov. au. Because everybody has the right to be safe and feel safe at work. NOTE: 210 words are the maximum for a Linked. In post. The graphic below may be used with a Linked. In post.