Discrimination can be either direct or indirect.

Direct discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfavourably because they have one or more protected attributes.

Indirect discrimination is when someone is disadvantaged by an unreasonable requirement, condition or practice because of a protected attribute. Protected personal attributes cover:

• age 
• breastfeeding 
• employment activity 
• gender identity 
• disability 
• industrial activity 
• lawful sexual activity 
• marital status or relationship status 
• parental status or status as a carer 
• physical features 
• political belief or activity 
• pregnancy 
• race 
• religious belief or activity 
• sex 
• sexual orientation 
• an expunged homosexual conviction 
• intersex status 
• personal association (whether as a relative or otherwise) with a person who is identified by reference to any of the above attributes.

Griffith's conduct expectations are outlined in the staff Code of Conduct, Student Conduct, Safety and Wellbeing Policy and other related policies.  

The National Student Ombudsman (NSO) is a free, impartial, and independent service for students to escalate complaints about the actions of their higher education provider. The NSO can consider a range of issues including student safety and wellbeing, racism and racial vilification, discrimination, gender-based violence, course administration, and the fairness and effectiveness of student complaints processes.

Students can choose to report a range of matters directly to the NSO and/or can choose to escalate a matter to the NSO following a university process.

The NSO can help with complaints or reports that students haven’t been able to resolve or don’t feel safe talking to Griffith University about. The NSO will ask students if they have raised the matter with Griffith, but this is not mandatory. The NSO will work with students to consider the best resolution pathway.

The NSO can consider complaints on a range of issues, including:

• Student safety and wellbeing, including gender-based violence, discrimination, racism, antisemitism and islamophobia
• Student enrolment and exclusion
• Student applications for special consideration
• Providers changes to course structures
• Providers complaint and appeal procedures
• Providers failure to clearly explain their decisions.

Helpful links

How do I report bullying, harassment, sexual harm or discrimination to Griffith?

Can I remain anonymous if I report or disclose an incident to Griffith?

What if I am dissatisfied with the outcome of a student misconduct process?

Bullying is repeated, unreasonable behaviour by an individual or group, directed towards an individual or group, either physical or psychological in nature, that intimidates, offends, degrades, humiliates, undermines or threatens.

The university's conduct expectations are outlined in the staff Code of Conduct, Student Conduct, Safety and Wellbeing Policy and other related policies.  

Sex discrimination occurs when a person (the discriminator) treats another person less favourably than, in circumstances that are the same or are not materially different, the discriminator treats or would treat a person of a different sex. It is fully defined within, and made unlawful by, the Sex Discrimination Act 1984. 

Helpful links

What is sexual harassment?

Cyberbullying is bullying that occurs towards a child using technology e.g. online and/or via mobile phones and other devices.

Adult cyber-abuse is when the internet is used to send, post or share content that is harmful to the physical or mental health of someone who is 18 or older.

Image-based abuse is a form of sexual harm and involves sharing, or threatening to share, an intimate image or video of a person without their consent.

The eSafety Commissioner provides more information, support and reporting options for cyberbullying, adult cyber-abuse and image-based abuse.