Sexual Violence and Harassment Support

• Practical Support: We can help with risk and safety planning, and putting together a support plan to identify and set up the help you might need. We can also discuss your needs around academic adjustments, accommodation arrangements, or other aspects of your life that are being effected. 
• Emotional Support: We understand the impacts of sexual violence and harassment, and whilst we are not a counselling service or therapists, we can provide you with a safe and non-judgmental space to talk.
• Guidance & Advocacy: We can help you with the university's reporting procedures, including explaining how the procedures work, helping you put together a report, and attending meetings with you. We can also guide you if you wish to make reports to external services, such as the police.
• Help to Access Specialist Services: We can work with you to access other support inside and outside of Imperial, (for example, crisis, counselling and medical services). We can talk about the different options, and help put you in touch with this support.

The best way to get support from us is via Report + Support.

This is a short online form that gives us some information about you and about what has happened. This information comes through to our team and is not seen by anyone else. Using Report + Support does not make a formal report to the university, it just puts you in contact with our team, and lets us know how we can help you.

You can also send us an email to harassment-support@imperial.ac.uk.

What happens when I contact the Student Support Service? 

• One of our team will let you know that we've received your disclosure, whether it's through the Report + Support, or through email. We will let you know who we are, where we are based, and ask you about the best options for contacting and supporting you. You will normally hear from us within 2 - 3 working days.
• Your Student Support Adviser will arrange a meeting with you - this can be by phone, a video call or a meeting in person.
• Your adviser will carry out an initial assessment and develop a support plan with you - this will help to identify what support you want and help to prioritise your needs. They will outline the support available both through the College and external specialist services. Your adviser can talk to you in detail about making a formal report to the College or the police if you decide that is the right course of action for you. 
• Your adviser will arrange follow up meetings with you if needed.

We are based on the South Kensington campus. We work Monday - Friday 9am-5pm, with the exception of university closure periods. We read through all disclosures and prioritise any urgent issues based on safety and risk of harm. 

We handle your disclosure confidentially and respect any decisions you make. We know that disclosures are sensitive, and that you might feel vulnerable or worried about who knows this personal information about you. Our team will not require or pressure you to report to the police or to the university, although we will support you if that's what you decide to do. We understand the reasons why this might not be the right option for you.

Our team sits within Student Services. With your permission we can share information that will help you to access other specialist support quickly and easily without needing to repeatedly talk about what has happened to you.

We are independent from your department and we do not inform your department  or share any information about your disclosure unless you give us permission. However, with your permission we can share necessary information with your department that could help support your academic life (for example, with exam adjustments or mitigating circumstances). We will always talk to you about these options and get your permission before speaking to anyone.  

There are some limited and exceptional circumstances where we may be obliged to share information about you. These are where there is a serious and immediate risk to your safety or someone else's safety, or under our legal obligations in relation to terrorism, radicalisation or safeguarding. Wherever possible this would be discussed with you first.

We recognise that you might have some specific questions about protection of your confidential information if you are disclosing about sexual misconduct carried out by a member of university staff.  You can talk to one of our Support Advisers to find out more details about confidentiality and how we look after your data.

Your information is protected through the General Data Protection Regulations 2018, as applied through and detailed in our Privacy Statement. 

Report + Support is a confidential online tool that allows students to:

• Report incidents of bullying, harassment, discrimination, sexual misconduct, hate crime, or abuse
• Seek support for themselves or someone else
• Report anonymously or with their contact details

Report + Support is designed to make it easier and safer to speak up. We want to make reporting incidents as simple and accessible as possible, whilst creating a safe and inclusive campus. Report + Support helps us with that, and helps us to understand what is happening in our community, to take action where needed, and to support you fully.

You can report with your name or anonymously.

If you choose to share your name when reporting, we will reach out to you directly with support options. If you have chosen to remain anonymous we will not be able to contact you directly. However,  your anonymous report will be read and reviewed to consider if there are formal or informal interventions that can be made. If there is an emerging pattern across several anonymous reports, conversations can take place to consider what we can do without an identifiable reporting party. Though often this is difficult and limited.

Where possible we would encourage you to report with your name and details. This really enables us to provide the best possible support for those involved. Providing your details does not mean you are making a formal report to the university. It just puts you in contact with our team and lets us know how best we can help you.

You can access Report + Support here to make a disclosure.

Supporting someone in these circumstances can be upsetting and stressful, especially when it is someone you love and care about so looking after yourself and asking for help is important. 

The Havens can provide information to friends or family on behalf of someone who has been sexually assaulted, and can advise friends and family on sources of support for themselves.

Your friend/loved-one is trying to make sense of what has happened. It can take time but with your support you can help to ease their trauma. You do not need to be an expert or specialist to give someone the understanding and care that can help them come to terms with the assault. There are some simple things that you can do to help, which we've adapted from the Havens website.

• Listen: Listen to them and try not to ask for details. They might not want to tell you everything that happened and may find it difficult to speak about all aspects. Let them know that you're ready to listen whenever they want to talk. 
• Don't question: Don't ask why the assault happened or why they didn't stop it happening - this can sound like you blame them and add to feelings of self-blame or lead to them doubting themselves.
• Believe them: Reassure them that you believe what they are saying.
• Let them show how they are feeling: It is often tempting to try and comfort someone and tell them not to worry, or that it's all going to be better, however sometimes the best thing is to let someone know it's ok for them to cry and they're not alone.
• Ask about touching: People who have experienced a violation of their body may find touching upsetting, and might need some space. Respect their feelings, and ask them if it's ok before touching them. Our common instinct can be to give a comforting hug to someone, especially a partner or someone we're close to. It can also be upsetting for someone you love to say they don't want a hug from you. Try not to take it personally, and respect their needs at this time. If you're in a sexual relationship they might find sex distressing or frightening, and may need time. Don't put pressure on them to have sex.
• Offer practical support:  You could offer to come along with them to appointments or if they need to speak with their workplace, or maybe they don't feel like they can face going to the shops right now. Ask them if there is something they need in that moment.
• Respect their decisions: People who have been assaulted have to make lots of choices, some of which may be hard, awkward or embarrassing, but they need to make those decisions for themselves. Don't try to persuade or put pressure on them to make choices - even if you think it's the best thing for them. Don't go behind their backs or without their permission to do what you think is the right thing. Recovering from trauma is about re-building trust, so showing that you trust their choices is important.
• Let them remember: It can be uncomfortable to hear someone you care about talk about what's happened, and you may feel that forgetting might protect them (and you) from those upsetting memories. It may take some time to work through their feelings and memories. You can help by listening and being patient. Don't push them towards trying to forget or supress memories. 
• It's not about you: Don't become the injured party. It can take a lot of energy to manage the overwhelming emotions and practical tasks after a sexual assault, and your loved-one will need to use this energy on themselves meaning they might not have the strength to support or care for you. Seeking help and support for yourself is important - recognising that you need help can mean you have the strength to support someone else.

Staff Supporting Students 

Disclosing experiences of sexual violence or harassment can be very difficult. It's common for people to feel more comfortable to speak to someone they trust rather than a designated or specialist service the first time they talk about it. You may be approached because of your role as a tutor, supervisor or as pastoral member of staff.

If a student has approached you for help we would encourage you to let them know about our confidential and specialist Student Support Advisers in the Student Support Service. 

Confidential Care

All staff and members of their family living with them can get free professional and confidential help from Confidential Care, Imperial's Employee Assistance Provider. The Confidential Care service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can call 0800 085 4764 or contact assist@cic-eap.co.uk. Visit the Confidential Care webpages for more information.