Review into the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force ...

Chapter 10: Minimising Risk, Managing Incidents and Ensuring the Safety of the Workplace – Recommendations 22-31Various other modules (newly developed and pre-existing) can also play a part in addressingRecommendation 22.For example, ADFA has begun delivering its ‘Social Media and Reputation Management’ brief, withAFP facilitators, and this module will help address Recommendation 22d). The Audit attended a‘Social Media and Reputation Management’ session on 19 February 2013, as part of YOFT. Thismedia presentation conceptualised safe and responsible social media use at the nexus of privacymanagement, reputation management and relationship management. 19 This presentation dealt withonline conduct and security generally, listing some examples of unethical behaviour, and strategies toavoid these.The Audit also attended the YOFT briefings on ‘Gender Differences and the ADF’, ‘Equity and Diversity– Types of Unacceptable Behaviour’ and ‘Equity and Diversity – Sexual Offences’. None of these dealtwholly or explicitly with sexual ethics or the other elements of Recommendation 22, but each hadelements which could contribute to education in this area.The Audit found the Gender Differences briefings to be generally positive. Undergraduates were splitby gender, so the women’s and men’s lessons were structurally different on account of demographics.The women’s sessions had about 30 participants in each, allowing for smaller breakaway groups andthe interaction and engagement only possible with small groups. The men’s groups had over 100participants in them. These presentations did not have the opportunity for the smaller group interaction,but were relaxed and contained an extended question and answer period. Both sessions discussedrelationships, body image, sources of support and the realities of ADF and enforced the idea that ‘thereputation you create for yourself at ADFA will follow you for the rest of your career’.The ‘Equity and Diversity – Types of Unacceptable Behaviour’ brief was more descriptive, and outlinedthe Defence definition of unacceptable behaviour, along with six categories:1. Harassment2. Workplace bullying (an aggressive form of harassment that is persistent or unreasonable)3. Sexual harassment (unwelcome or offensive harassment of a sexual nature)4. Discrimination (distinction, exclusion or preference; direct or indirect)5. Abuse of power (attributed to rank or position)6. Conflict of interest and inappropriate workplace relationshipsThe ‘Equity and Diversity – Sexual Offences’ brief captured many of the key issues relevant to sexualoffences, such definitions, the meaning of consent and penalties. A list of myths regarding sexualoffences was also provided which usefully identified many of the misconceptions surrounding victims,perpetrators and consent. However, there was little reference to SeMPRO (Sexual MisconductPrevention and Response Office) which will be Defence’s key support in this area.All of these YOFT sessions (and any similar training provided to other years) will provide support for thesexual ethics training package, but do not lessen the need to have a well-designed, integrated and wellpresentedsexual ethics package facilitated in collaboration with an expert in place as soon as possible.Given the status of this training program, no evaluation process is, as yet, in place.96