Are you safe?

• If someone is in danger or need of urgent medical care or attention, please call 999 immediately and ask for an ambulance/police.
• If you're on campus, you can call Campus Security (call their Emergencies number, 01227 823333). They will know who to contact, as there is always immediate support available from either the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser or Sexual Assault Responders for victims of serious sexual assault or rape at the Canterbury and Medway campuses.
• If the incident has just happened, it is important that you try to get yourself to a safe place and keep warm as you may be in shock.

Report an incident

If you (or someone you know) has been (or thinks) they have been sexually assaulted or raped, you can use the REPORT + SUPPORT tool to get support.

• We will never ask ‘Why?’ when coming forward. We take sexual assault or rape extremely seriously.
• The perpetrator is always to blame for sexual assault or rape.

If you give your details, the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser will contact you about a Sexual Assault and Harassment meeting.

During the appointment:

• The Adviser will ask for a brief account of what happened, but you don't have to provide detail if you don't want to. One of the first things discussed is confidentiality. 
• You can talk about things including immediate practical, emotional and psychological support, referrals to counselling, and reporting options.
• For incidents of sexual assault and harassment, you can explore sexual health options or going to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

Find out about the role of Sexual Assault Responders, how to access them, and what a student can expect from a meeting.

How to access a Sexual Assault Responder (SAR)

• Firstly, a student must request Sexual Assault Responder (SAR) support via Campus Security by calling 01227 823333 in case of emergencies or 01227 823300 for non-emergencies. 

• At that point, Campus Security will check the immediate safety of the student and make arrangements if needed. They will also ask for name and contact details to be passed onto SAR and check that the student is ok to call the first person on SAR Rota (by checking for gender and department). 

• The SAR will make initial contact with the student via telephone and discuss whether a face to face appointment is needed. If face to face is preferred, arrangements will be made. 

What happens when I meet a Sexual Assault Responder (SAR)?

• The SAR will then have a conversation with the student about confidentiality. The student will be made aware that a reporting form will be completed and passed to the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser to follow up and offer ongoing support if needed. 

• The student will be provided with a written copy of the SAR reporting form, which will be theirs to keep safe and can be useful if they decide to go to the police at a later stage. 

• There is a vast range of things students can talk to SARs about, including:

• Practical support (for example, accessing emergency accommodation)
• Sexual health options (for example, emergency contraception)
• Reporting options (that is, reporting to the police or to the university)
• Going to the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) via the police, or referring themselves.

It is important that students know that the police will not be called without the consent of the student unless there is an immediate threat to life.

• The SAR can also make Taxi arrangements should the student wish to go to the police or to a Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

• The SAR will ask for a brief account of what happened, which will be recorded. The student does not have to provide detail if they do not wish to. And finally, they will ensure that the student gets home safely at the end of the appointment.

In addition to the support from the University, we have a list of external organisations who might be able to help you.