Speak Out Relaunched

25 Sep 2025

UCC launched Speak Out in 2022 and is currently engaged in the national campaign to relaunch the tool in 2025.

We, as a University College Cork (UCC) community, will not stand for bullying, discrimination*, harassment, sexual misconduct or sexual violence.

What is Speak Out?

Speak Out is an online anonymous reporting tool which offers a space for all members of HEI communities to speak out about their experiences of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.

Speak Out is a national initiative and is currently being implemented in 17 HEIs across the country. Following a successful pilot phase, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) funded a new national consortium for the tool, which was established in late 2024 and began operations in March 2025. The National Speak Out Office is located at Trinity College Dublin (TCD).

How is data from Speak Out being used?

Reporting is voluntary, and all data entered on the Speak Out platform is completely anonymous. Reporting anonymously means that you will not be asked for your name or any other personal details about you or another person that might identify you. The University will not take specific action or commence any formal complaint process.

Reporting helps us develop appropriate supports and contribute to creating a safer community.  It also links you to a comprehensive list of existing Advice and Support | University College Cork.

Anonymous, aggregated data is reported annually to the national Speak Out Office based in TCD. A report of the national data collected by the tool between September 1, 2022, and August 31, 2024, will be issued to HEIs in November 2025.

To read the full data privacy statement, see: Privacy Statement | University College Cork

How to use Speak Out?

Visit the UCC Speak Out Website, select the “Make A Report” button, and you will be guided through a series of questions which will help you make an anonymous report.   

To find out more:

For more information on relevant policies and supports, please visit:

• Duty of Respect and Right to Dignity at Work Policy (2020)
• Student Rules
• UCC Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment (ESVH) Hub
• UCC Sexual Violence and Harassment Framework
• UCC Sexual Violence Framework Action Plan 2021

Please email the ediunit@ucc.ie in confidence if you have any questions about the Speak Out Tool.

*Grounds for Discrimination are defined in the Equal Status Acts.