Advice and Support
University support is available if you have experienced unacceptable behaviour from another student.
If you have experienced unacceptable behaviour from a student of the University, you can get support and advice from a range of services.
This includes support in considering your options, advice about practical actions you can take, information about external specialist services, or just an opportunity to talk to someone.
If you want to ask the University to consider taking action against a student under the Code of Student Conduct, please see the information here:
Support options
You can find advice on ‘Support in a crisis’ on the Student Health and Wellbeing webpages:
Information on support in a crisis
If you have been sexually assaulted or raped, you can contact the NHS sexual assault response co-ordination service (SARCS) by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. SARCS can arrange for you to have a forensic medical examination without making a report to the police. They will store the results of the examination, in case you later decide you want to make a report to the police. Forensic medical exams usually need to be done within 7 days of the assault. It is always your decision whether you choose this option.
Call SARCS on 0800 148 88 88 (available 24/7, free from landlines and mobiles)
If you are on campus, you can contact University security 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 0131 650 2257.
If you are in student accommodation, you can contact the Community Support Team 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 0131 667 1971.
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If you are in physical danger, or in need of immediate medical attention, call the emergency services on 999. Follow the guidance below if you are in an emergency situation and need police help, but it is not safe for you to speak. Guidance on contacting 999 if you can’t speak - Silent Solution |
The University’s Equally Safe Team are a specialist team that offers support to anyone affected by sexual violence and other forms of gender based violence. Members of the Equally Safe Team can meet you to discuss the most appropriate support for you, can help you assess your safety and wellbeing, and discuss options for ongoing and practical support. They can also help you identify your priority needs, and help you to access additional specialist services within and beyond the University, including accessing the University student conduct process, considering making a report to the police, and/or the NHS led Sexual assault Referral & Co-ordination Service (SARCS).
The Equally Safe Team receive any reports that are made through the University Report and Support platform. You can use the Report and Support platform to report and request support in relation to any form of gender based violence.
The Equally Safe Team website and contact information
The University Residence Life team supports students living in university accommodation. If you are experiencing an issue within your university accommodation, they can offer support and advice, and explore possible solutions with you, such as informal mediation or making a change to your accommodation. They can also signpost you to other support services in the University, and to the University student conduct process.
Residence Life website and contact information
The Students’ Association Advice Place is independent of the University and offers non-judgemental, confidential and free advice and support to all University of Edinburgh students. It, has professional caseworkers who are very experienced in supporting students on a wide range of issues.
If you have experienced unacceptable behaviour from another student, Advice Place caseworkers can help you make choices about what you want to happen next. The Advice Place can provide you with information about the University student conduct process, and can also support you in reporting a crime.
You can speak to an Advice Place case worker in person, online on Teams, by phone or via email, and if you wish you can speak to a caseworker anonymously.
The Advice Place website and contact information
If unacceptable behaviour by another student is affecting your studies or your ability to take part in your programme, School Student Advisers, Student Support teams or Personal Tutors can provide you with support and will be able to discuss with you whether there are any options such as changing your tutorial or lab group, and they can also signpost you to the University student conduct process. They can also provide advice on the University’s special circumstances process.
You can find the name of your Student Adviser or Personal Tutor in your EUCLID student record.
Information about the University special circumstances process
A lot of student life involves student societies and Student Association activities, including Student Association bars and clubs. If you experience unacceptable behaviour during a student society event, from someone acting as an office holder in a student society, or at a Student Association venue, you can contact the Students’ Association, and they will provide information about your options.
Information about the Students’ Association’s complaints process
If you have experienced an issue related to an Edinburgh University Sports Union sports club or event, you can find information and report a concern through the website below.
Edinburgh University Sports Union Wellbeing and Reporting website
The University Centre for Sport and Exercise has a code of conduct, and is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming community environment for all users.
Centre for Sport and Exercise code of conduct
Contact information for the Centre for Sport and Exercise
There are also specialist services that are external to the University that can provide you with advice and support. The Health and Wellbeing website provides information about and links to external support services in relation to being a victim of a crime, gender based violence, and racial harassment and hate crime.
Can I get help in making a report to the police, or deciding whether to make a report to the police?
Yes.
The Students’ Association Advice Place can discuss your options and support you in making a report to the police.
The Advice Place information on reporting a crime
If you have experienced gender based violence, the Equally Safe Team can discuss your options and support you in making a report to the police. They can also organise for you to have an informal conversation with the Police Scotland Public Protection Team: this means you can speak to the police without having to make a decision about whether or not you want to make a formal report.
The Equally Safe Team website and contact information
If you have been sexually assaulted or raped, you can contact the NHS sexual assault response co-ordination service (SARCS) by phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. SARCS can arrange for you to have a forensic medical examination without making a report to the police. They will store the results of the examination, in case you later decide you want to make a report to the police. Forensic medical exams usually need to be done within 7 days of the assault.
Call SARCS on 0800 148 88 88 (free from landlines and mobiles)
If you have already made a report to the police, you can still contact the Advice Place or Equally Safe Team for support at any time.
Sometimes people don’t want to talk straight away and sometimes it can take a while to decide if you want to speak to someone. All of the services listed in the section below can offer you support, whether you want to talk to them about something that just happened, or something that happened in the past.
Anonymity and Confidentiality
Yes.
You can speak to the Students’ Association and remain anonymous. The Advice Place is run by the Students’ Association and is independent of the University.
The Advice Place information on anonymous reporting
You can choose to submit an anonymous report through the Report and Support platform. However, if you submit an anonymous report, the Equally Safe Team will not be able to contact you to offer support.
For information on whether you can ask the University to investigate misconduct by another student, but remain anonymous, please see [add link to ‘Requesting an investigation’ guidance].
No.
You can contact any of the services listed above to ask for support and advice, without telling them the name of any other student involved.
The information you provide will be used to offer you appropriate support and advice.
Information you provide will be treated as confidential as far as possible. However, University staff cannot guarantee complete confidentiality, and may need to share information with more senior staff or with the appropriate support service in order to ensure as far as possible that you have access to appropriate support and advice.
If you tell the University about possible student misconduct, this will not automatically mean that the University will start an investigation under the Code of Student Conduct. Before any formal conduct investigation starts, we will always talk to you about whether you want an investigation, and what you hope for from the process. For further information about requesting an investigation, please see [add link to ‘Requesting an investigation’ guidance].
If the Conduct team have serious concerns about your safety or wellbeing, they may contact your School Student Advisor, Student Support Team, or Graduate School, or to the Equally Safe Team if your report involves gender based violence, to ask them to check in with you.
University Student support model
The Equally Safe Team website and contact information
If you tell a member of staff about unacceptable behaviour by a student that raises serious concerns about the safety or wellbeing of other people in the University community, it is possible that the University may have to make a report to the police. This would be rare and exceptional. The decision to make a report to the police would be made by the Deputy Secretary, Students. You will be consulted wherever possible before a decision is taken, and you will always be informed before a report to the police is made, except under exceptional and urgent circumstances.
If the issue you’re reporting becomes the subject of a criminal investigation, Police Scotland may ask the University to share information that it holds about the issue. Information will only be shared if there is a legally valid request.
University investigations
If you tell the University about possible student misconduct, this will not automatically mean that the University will start an investigation into the behaviour under the Code of Student Conduct.
It is your choice whether you wish to request an investigation under the Code of Student Conduct. For further information about requesting an investigation, please see 'Requesting an investigation'.
Before beginning an investigation, the University will normally do a risk assessment and has the power to take immediate action such as prohibiting the other student from contacting you, or restricting their access to parts or all of the University campus. This is called a precautionary suspension. These decisions are made on a case by case basis, taking into account possible risks to you and to other students involved. However, the University cannot prevent students from accessing public spaces. The University can also consider whether a precautionary suspension is appropriate if you have made a report to the police, and the other student is being investigated by the police. Please see 'Requesting an investigation'.