TUS encourages staff and students to Speak Out

President of TUS Students Union รine Daly, President of TUS President Vincent Cunnane and Noreen Keane, Head of Student Counselling TUS Midwest Campuses pictured as The Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) has launched its anonymous violence and harassment reporting tool โ€“ Speak Out โ€“ Monday (November 1, 2021.) Pic. Brian Arthur

THE Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) hasย launched its anonymous violence and harassment reporting tool – Speak Out.

Speak Out is an online, anonymous reporting platform for incidents ofย bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coerciveย behaviour/control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, andย rape.

The newly launched tool is part of a national approach to tackling theseย issues by raising awareness, providing support and providing a means ofย recording instances.

Launching Speak Out across all six TUS campuses, President of TUS Professor Vincent Cunnane said, “Speak out will allow us, as TUS, to understand staff and student experiences of harassment and violence. It will be crucial in assisting us in making evidence-based policy decisions in this very important area. A key role of Speak Out is to help raise awareness of supports available to students and staff, and to encourage them to seek help if needed. It is a further step in delivering on our commitments within the Framework for Consent in Higher Education Institutions and to providing a safe, respectful and supportive culture across all our campuses.”

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Noreen Keane, Head of Student Counselling TUS Midwest Campuses said, “Thisย tool provides an anonymous trauma informed platform for survivors to reportย incidents of harassment, sexual violence, bullying and coercive behaviour. It is the starting point as initially many are hesitant to formerly reportย an incident. This tool removes that barrier by virtue of its anonymity andย encourages both students and staff to speak out and have their experienceย validated.”

Treasa Fox, Head of Student Counselling Midlands Campus added, “The Speakย Out launch marks a culture shift on TUS campuses.ย  From today,ย students and staff can make an anonymous report of any experiences ofย bullying, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, assault, or rape in a safe way.ย We in student counselling services have long recognised that an importantย first step in healing from trauma is to say what has happened to you in aย safe way.”

President of TUS Students Union รine Daly said, “This is a platform thatย students can trust, that gives them the opportunity to have their voicesย heard anonymously and seek the support they need. It will also contribute toย making our tomorrow better with data collection for statistics, with theย hope in the future these tools won’t have to exist, and that we can be kindย and respectful of one another.”

The Speak Out project, led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higherย Education Ireland (PCHEI) and funded by the Department of Further and Higherย Education, Research, Innovation and Science, is being rolled out across 18ย higher education institutions throughout this academic year.

The online tool went live for all six TUS campuses on Monday through theย website tus.ie and the staff and student portals.

Speak Out is a trauma informed tool that will provide users with support
services relevant to their experience. The anonymous data collected throughย this tool will also be used to inform national policy and targetedย educational initiatives.

This project, has been funded by the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality,Diversity and Inclusion, and underpins an ethos of cross institutionalย collaboration in response to such incidences within higher educationย institutions.

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