Speak Out - what is it?

Speak Out is an online and anonymous reporting tool for higher education institutions in Ireland.  It provides a platform for University College Cork (“UCC”) students and staff to voluntarily and anonymously report, in a safe and secure way, incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour or control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape that you have either experienced or witnessed.   

Speak Out is a national initiative led by the Psychological Counsellors in Higher Education Ireland (PCHEI), funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and supported by the HEA Centre of Excellence for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 

Reporting anonymously using Speak Out means that you will not be asked for your name or any other personal details about you or another person and the University will not take any specific action or commence any formal complaint process.  However, we want to assure you that there is support available to you as set out below.   

The Speak Out site collects information on your experiences and that information allows us to develop and deliver initiatives aimed at raising awareness of, and taking steps to eliminate, this type of behaviour in the UCC community.  Speak Out also allows the University to direct you to helpful supports and provides information relating to a range of options that can assist you in dealing with incidents of discrimination, bullying, harassment and/or sexual misconduct. 

For privacy information relating to Speak Out, please see our Privacy Statement.