Sexual misconduct disclosures

If you believe the alleged assailant may pose an imminent risk to the student or others, or where you feel there has been an injury inflicted on the student that requires urgent medical attention you do not need the student’s consent to call the police or an ambulance.

Where there is no imminent risk or severe injury requiring immediate medical treatment, the student has options about what to do next. Options for consideration are:

• Report formally to the police – This can be immediately or it can be in the future. If the student wishes to report to the police it is preferable they make the call to the police themselves, however if they feel unable to do so and you have their consent you can call the police on 101. If the student chooses to report to the police they can still report to the University as well. Sometimes a student may wish to report it themselves or with your support, therefore they may need to find a telephone in a private location where you can make the call together.
• Providing forensic evidence – Forensic evidence may need to be collected and this can be stored if the student is undecided but wishes to keep the option available to them to report it formally in the future. It is important this decision about reporting the incident formally is led by the student and that you provide them with the information they need to make an informed choice. If the student wishes to provide forensic evidence ensure they are aware of the guidance and time limitations and contact SAFE Place, SAFE Centre or St Mary’s SARC to arrange this.
• Seek medical help – It is important the student seriously considers seeking medical help if they are injured or at risk of pregnancy or contracting a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). It is not appropriate to call an ambulance against the student’s will but you can offer to arrange a medical appointment for them or recommend they visit A&E.
• Ask the student if they want you to contact a friend or family member.
• Alternative accommodation – Check if the student needs alternative accommodation to be found regardless of whether they live on campus or in private accommodation. If alternative accommodation is required contact Student Services on 01695 650800 during office hours or Campus Support 01695 584227 out of hours.
• Report the incident formally to the University – It is recommended that students report the assault to the University, even if it doesn’t involve another student or it has not occurred on campus so that we can support them. However, this is their choice so please do not use any pressure and give them time to make their own decisions. If they do wish to report it to the University then contact Student Services and ask to speak to a Campus Life Manager on 01695 657570 or via email [email protected]. If the incident involved another student or member of staff, the Campus Life Managers can follow the Disciplinary Procedures. These procedures differ from a criminal investigation in that we will only be able to consider statements from the parties involved, social media posts, texts and more but will not require any forensic evidence.
• Seek support from the Wellbeing team – Regardless of whether the student wishes to report the incident formally to the University or not, they can still access support through the Wellbeing team. To request an appointment contact [email protected] or call 01695 650988. If the student is unsure provide them with the information of how to refer themselves if they wish to access support in the future, or if they feel unable to make the appointment themselves and give you consent to do so, you can refer them for support.