We want to give a clear message that certain behaviours are unacceptable. You should not have to accept any behaviour that you are uncomfortable with. Perceived severity is down to you to decide and not for others to judge. What happened matters and we want to hear about it.
Stand together, report it, get support.
If we don’t tackle and challenge micro aggressions they can become ‘normalised’ which can encourage those who see it, or hear it, to repeat them or tolerate them impacting on the happiness, confidence and safety of those around them. It can give messages to the person who holds the prejudice views to go further in their aggressions.
You might choose not to formally report to the police or the University and that is ok. What happened to you matters to us and we want to acknowledge it and for you to be heard.
I want to report but I do not want to give my contact details
You may wish to report anonymously and that is ok; it may help you to feel safe and heard. It will mean that you will not be able to access direct support and information from our team but your report will be taken seriously.
If you do not provide any names, contact details, addresses etc and choose to make an anonymous report it is just that – there is no way of us (or anyone else) finding any identifiable information about you or others.
Collecting information about what has happened to people helps us to target campaigns and give a clear message that any kind of violence, harassment and hate crime will not be tolerated.
Anonymous reports helps the University to understand what types of sexual violence, harassment and hate crime (s) are taking place so that the University community can take action. Please don’t think what’s the point nothing will happen if I do; if something happened that you felt uncomfortable and upset about it does matter and we want to hear about it.
You can always change your mind and contact us if you decide that actually you would like to speak to someone.
I want to report with my contact details and get support
You can submit a report at anytime day or night – at a time that suits you best. Please note, this is not an emergency response tool and information about sources of support is available both on our website and as you go through the reporting form. We monitor the reports during office hours Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays and University closure dates) and if you have reported with your contact details you can expect to hear from us using your preferred contact method within 2 working days.
Once we receive your report we will contact you using your preferred method of contact to introduce ourselves and to book you into an appointment with one of us. During the appointment we will explain the options available to you and offer you practical and emotional support to explore what feels right for you.
We will support any decision you make.
Still not sure?
We understand that there are many barriers around disclosing something that is of a highly sensitive and personal nature and that you may be unsure about whether to report it. You may feel ‘it’s not serious enough’, you may be worried about repercussions, you might feel embarrassed or ashamed, you might worry about getting others into trouble, you may worry that nothing will be done or that you won’t be believed, you might not be ready to speak to someone.
It may have happened recently or some time ago and this maybe the first time or place you have felt safe enough to disclose and or seek support.
Please know that it was not your fault. You are not to blame. You are not on your own.
Here are some related articles that you might find helpful
Welcome - Everyone's Invited (everyonesinvited.uk) – a place for survivors of sexual violence to share their stories anonymously.
What do people say about the Report & Support service?
It might interest you to hear from other people who have experienced something similar to you. That’s not to say every experience is the same – it isn’t; but it can be reassuring and affirming to know that you are not on your own. Here is some of the feedback our service users have provided…
Each year we gather data from the reports to produce an anonymised annual report which includes the number of reports submitted, the types of incident, the location, the number of people who have accessed the Report and Support Team and the outcomes of our work with them.
In our yearly survey to the students who had accessed support with us, we asked if there was anything that they would like to say about the service? These are some of their responses:
I am eternally grateful for xx support and guidance. She helped me find my inner strength and I can see the difference it has made in my everyday life.
Friendly staff
It's a vital service please continue to provide it.
I would have really struggled with my situation at home if it hadn't been for this service especially in lockdown. I felt very isolated and alone as I couldn't talk to friends and family.
Excellent service, couldn’t support me more through my experience!!!
Amazingly helpful. Thank you
We also asked ‘What advice would you give to other students in the same situation as you were?’
Always report anything
To not feel as anxious as they might be because all of the advisors and staff are patient and helpful and non-judgemental
When I made my report I was so broken and hopeless. However, reporting was incredibly easy and I was greeted with a fast, empathetic and non judgmental response. From that moment I knew I had an ally.
Make use of this service it's vital and does make a difference. Takes some pressure off you by having a confidential conversation, so your not alone.
Speak up about it and try to find resources and information that can help deal with it.
Get in touch with the R and S team. They are extremely helpful and you no longer feel alone.
To get in contact with this support, they are very kind and helpful. They provided so much support to me, even talking to the lovely staff supported helped me through my experience
The service is outstanding. They are really easy to talk to
Reach out and get help the team are amazing