Any form of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment is never okay. 

If you think you have been the target of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment, it may be hard to know what to do or how to feel. 

What happened is not your fault and what you do next is always your choice. 

Safety 

Please note Report and Support is not an emergency reporting tool
 
  • Are you in immediate danger? If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, you can contact the emergency services on 999. 
  • Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened, try and find somewhere you feel safe. Consider asking a friend you trust to be with you.
  • Text support. If you feel you need to talk to someone immediately you can contact Shout, a free 24/7 text service for anyone struggling to cope. TEXT Shout to 85258.

Support

Within UCA you can speak confidentially to one of our Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs). You can access their support by reporting online via Report and Support. They will then get in touch to discuss your options with you and offer appropriate practical and emotional support tailored to your circumstances.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) - ISVAs work with people who have experienced sexual violence to get them access to the services they need. They provide impartial advice on all the options available such as reporting to police, the criminal justice process, accessing sexual assault referral centres (SARCs), seeking support from specialist sexual violence organisations and other services.

ISVA services and other support such as specialist counselling can be accessed externally through a SARC. 
  • Kent & Medway SARC Beech House and Surrey SARC Solace Centre both offer support and guidance, a medical assessment/treatment, a forensic examination, and the opportunity for aftercare referrals into support services. Clients are offered these services based on their individual needs and can choose to use as much or as little of the service as they wish.
Click here to watch a short film to understand more about the role of the SARC and their services.

Rape Crisis Centres also offer an ISVA and other specialist services.
  • In Kent, the East Kent Rape Crisis Centre has a specialist student ISVA service offering practical and emotional support and advice specifically for students who are survivors of sexual violence, either recent or historic. The specialist Student ISVAs are there for anyone in education with links to colleges and universities, making the situation easier for those dealing with trauma whilst continuing to study. 
  • In Surrey, the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASAC) provides an ISVA service offering emotional and practical advice and support for people who have experienced rape, sexual abuse or any other type of sexual violence at any time in their lives. The service is open to female and male survivors, aged 13 and over.
Survivors UK is a service for male survivors. They are an inclusive service and welcome anyone who identifies as male, trans, non-binary, has identified as male in the past, or anyone who feels that they are the right fit for them.

Other helpful websites
 
Brook offers free confidential sexual health and wellbeing information and advice for young people.

Victim Support is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales.   They can  provide specialist help to support people to cope and recover to the point where they feel they are back on track with their lives.

What to do when intimate images are shared online without your consent: 
Stalking Helpline

Cyber Helpline (help if you are being bullied or harassed online)

Galop (support for the LGBTQ+ community)

Report

This is your choice. It's completely up to you whether or not to report the incident. Nobody else can or should make that choice for you. 
  • Report and Support - Students and staff can report an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support from a Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO). This does not instigate any kind of formal complaint or appeals process. If you choose to talk to the SVLO, they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you both from the University and externally, in confidence. The SVLO will discuss what steps you would like to take next. 
  • Reporting to the police. We suggest that if you are considering this route that you speak to an SVLO or an independent ISVA before you make contact. Rape Crisis also provides further information on what would happen. 
Mental Health and Wellbeing
 
Togetherall - Togetherall is a digital mental health support service, available online 24/7, and completely anonymous so you can express yourself freely and openly. Sign up with your UCA email address.

Health and Wellbeing at UCA - For students, the service includes free short term counselling which can be accessed face to face, online or remotely. 

EAP - For staff, the Employee Assistance Programme offers proactive, practical information and emotional support to help you to manage and reduce the impact of all of life’s events, both at home and at work. The service is available 24/7 and is completely free and confidential. 
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Tell us what happened or Tell us anonymously