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Support for students

If an incident has just happened, try to find somewhere you feel safe.

If you require emergency help, please call emergency services on 999 (or 112 from a mobile). If you are at the university and in need of help, you can call Security on 020 8240 4335/4060 or go to your nearest University building and ask someone to phone security for you.

It can be difficult to seek support but it is important for you to know that you do not have to cope alone. As well as support from the University, there are a number of external organisations both locally and nationally that provide specialist support and information.

Report with contact details to access support 

Support services available

Sexual Harassment comes in many forms and includes a range of inappropriate and unwanted behaviour including, but not limited to:

  • unwanted sexual advances or touching
  • sexually degrading or abusive comments or gestures
  • emails or messages with sexual content
  • sharing sexually explicit materials (such as images, videos or links) in person or in any digital space.

Sexual Harassment is unwelcome behaviour which violates a person's dignity, makes an individual feel intimidated or degraded, or creates an offensive environment. You don't have to have objected to a certain kind of behaviour in the past for it to be unwanted and constitute harassment.

Sexual Assault is any physical, psychological and emotional violation when an individual is forced into sexual activity without giving their consent. This includes, but is not limited to the most severe physical offences, including rape. It can also involve forcing someone to witness sexual activity.

Internal Support

  • Student services can provide advice, guidance and pastoral care, including support with wellbeing and mental health. They can provide practical support regarding your studies/work/accommodation or finances, emotional/wellbeing support, help you access specialist external support and help you explore your options for formally reporting. Email studentlife@stmarys.ac.uk, phone on 020 8240 2359/8238 or visit them in J building (Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm). Out of hours, Residential Students can also access support from their Resident Mentor.
  • The student union can provide free, confidential and independent advice and guidance and can help you access internal or external support at advice.smsu@stmarys.ac.uk.

External Support

  • The Havens - NHS service providing 24/7 support for anyone in London who has been raped or sexually assaulted in the past 12 months, including advice, counselling, tests and treatments. The Havens can also carry out a forensic medical examination which may help with an investigation if you decide to report what happened to the police.
  • One Stop Shop - The One Stop Shop is Richmond upon Thames’ weekly drop-in service offering free, discrete support, advice and information concerning domestic abuse, stalking and sexual violence.
  • Revenge porn helpline - The Revenge Porn Helpline supports all adult victims of intimate image abuse living in the UK. You can get in touch for free for confidential help and support.
  • Women and Girls Network - Counselling and support for women and girls recovering from sexual violence. Telehone: 0808 801 0770, Monday to Friday 10am-12.30pm & 2.30pm-4pm, Wednesday 6pm-9pm.
  • Rape Crisis - South London Rape Crisis offers specialist and confidential support and advocacy for women who have survived any kind of sexual violence, at any point in their lives. Their national helpline is 0808 802 9999, available daily 12pm-2.30pm and 7pm-9.30pm. Find your local rape crisis centre.
  • Survivors UK - Information, support and counselling for male rape and sexual assault survivors. Telephone: 0203 598 3898 Monday-Friday 9.30am-5pm. Helpline Web Chat Monday-Friday 10.30am-9pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-6pm.
  • Galop - Advice and support to members of the LGBT community who have experienced hate crime, domestic abuse or sexual violence. Telephone: 020 7704 2040.
  • Respond - Respond is a specialist charity providing support and advocacy to people with learning disabilities or autism who have experienced abuse, violence or trauma.
  • London Survivors Gateway - Further resources are also available from the London Survivors Gateway, a hub for sexual violence support services in London.
  • NHS support - Your local GP or Sexual Health Clinic can provide advice and support in relation to medical care and can signpost to relevant local support services.
  • The Survivors Trust - Runs a free, national helpline 7 days a week for people aged 16+ for all survivors of rape or sexual abuse and, no matter when the abuse took place.
  • National Domestic Abuse Helpline - The National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge, can be contacted on 0808 2000 247 24 hours a day where you can access information and support relating to domestic abuse. 
  • Suzy Lamplugh Trust - The Suzy Lamplugh Trust operates the National Stalking Helpline, which offers practical information, support, and advice on risk, safety planning and legislation to victims of stalking, their friends and family. Tel: 0808 802 0300, Mon-Fri, 9.30am-4pm.
  • Paladin - Paladin provides advice and advocacy to survivors of stalking. Helpline: 0203 866 4107, 9am-3pm weekdays, except for Wednesdays when the timings are 10am-5pm.
  • Cyber Helpline - The Cyber Helpline can provide advice for any cyber security scenario including cyber stalking, online bullying and harassment, catfishing, online grooming, revenge porn and inappropriate content. 
  • Find your local rape crisis centre here 

Self-help support

Something is a hate incident if the victim or anyone else thinks an act was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on someone’s actual or perceived; disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation. When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes.

Internal

  • Student services can provide advice, guidance and pastoral care, including support with wellbeing and mental health. They can provide practical support regarding your studies/work/accommodation or finances, emotional/wellbeing support, help you access specialist external support and help you explore your options for formally reporting. Email studentlife@stmarys.ac.uk, or phone on 020 8240 2359/8238 or visit them in J building (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm). Out of hours, Residential Students can also access support from their Resident Mentor.
  • The student union can provide free, confidential and independent advice and guidance and can help you access internal or external support at advice.smsu@stmarys.ac.uk.

External

  • The LGBT+ Switchboard is a free 24/7 talking service for those who identify as LGBTQ+ which is open 10am-10pm, 7 days a week. You can get in touch with them by emailing hello@switchboard.lgbt or by calling 0800 0119 100
  • Galop provide support for members of the LGBTQ+ community who have experienced hate crime or other forms of abuse.
  • TELLMAMA supports victims of anti-Muslim hate.
  • Community Security Trust provides support for victims of anti-Semitic incidents.
  • Citizens Advice Bureau - Free, confidential and independent advice available face to face and by telephone. Please see the Citizens Advice website for more information.
  • Stop Hate UK - Stop Hate UK is a charity that provides independent and confidential support and reporting options to people affected by a hate crime. They have a 24 hour phoneline which you can call on 0800 138 1625.
  • Victim Support - Victim Support are an independent charity providing free and confidential support to victims of crime, whether you have decided to report to the police or not. Their free support phoneline operates 24 hours a day, Telephone: 0808 1689 111. You can also contact them by using their online chat function.
  • Crimestoppers - You can provide information on a crime anonymously by completing their anonymous online form. You can also call them on 0800 555 111 24 hours a day.
  • SupportLine - SupportLine provides a confidential telephone helpline offering emotional support to any individual on any issue. It is particularly aimed at those who are socially isolated, vulnerable, at risk groups and victims of any form of abuse. Telephone: 01708 765200.

Additional resources

Bullying is unwanted behaviour, which is intimidating, offensive or insulting.  The person who is being bullied can feel humiliated, threatened or upset and it can become a pattern of behaviour. Anyone can be bullied.

Harassment  can be defined as unwanted actions or behaviour by individuals or groups, which violate a person’s dignity and create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment

Stalking is a pattern of repeated, unwanted behaviour that causes you to feel distressed or scared. It can be perpetrated by men or women. It is fixated, obsessed, unwanted and repeated.

It can be a really hard decision to come forward and talk about bullying and harassment. If you have experienced either of these, it is important for you to know that you do not need to cope alone.

Internal Support

  • Student services can provide advice, guidance and pastoral care, including support with wellbeing and mental health. They can provide practical support regarding your studies/work/accommodation or finances, emotional/wellbeing support, help you access specialist external support and help you explore your options for formally reporting. Email studentlife@stmarys.ac.uk, phone on 020 8240 2359/8238 or visit them in J building (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm). Out of hours, Residential Students can also access support from their Resident Mentor.
  • The student union can provide free, confidential and independent advice and guidance and can help you access internal or external support at advice.smsu@stmarys.ac.uk.

External support

  • Bullying UK - If you have experienced bullying at university or elsewhere, you can contact Bullying UK for free confidential advice. Their opening times can be found on their website. Telephone: 0808 800 2222, free from landlines and most mobile phones.
  • National Bullying Helpline - Helping individuals struggling with bullying issues, providing operational and timely support to both adults and children. Whether the bullying is in the home, community, school, workplace or on-line. Telephone: 0300 323 0169, Monday - Friday 9am-5pm.
  • Cyber Helpline - The Cyber Helpline can provide advice for any cyber security scenario. Including cyber stalking, online bullying & harassment, revenge porn and inappropriate content. Please visit their website for more information.
  • Suzy Lamplugh Trust - The Suzy Lamplugh Trust operates the National Stalking Helpline, which offers practical information, support, and advice on risk, safety planning and legislation to victims of stalking, their friends and family. Telephone: 0808 802 0300, Monday-Friday, 9.30am-4pm.
  • Paladin - Paladin provides advice and advocacy to survivors of stalking. Helpline: 0203 866 4107, 9am-3pm weekdays, except for Wednesdays when the timings are 10am-5pm.

If there’s anything else concerning you, support is available:

  • Student services provide advice, guidance and pastoral care to all students. They can support you with wellbeing/mental health, accommodation, funding, help you access specialist external support or discuss anything else that might be concerning you. Email studentlife@stmarys.ac.uk, phone on 020 8240 2359/8238 or visit them in J building (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm). Out of hours, Residential Students can also access support from their Resident Mentor.
  • You can call Samaritans, free from any phone, anytime on 116 123.
  • The SU advice service can provide advice and guidance on a range of issues, including university conduct, complaints and appeals processes, accommodation, wellbeing and funding issues. The service can also support students with accessing internal and external support. The service is free, confidential and completely independent from the university.