Safe and Inclusive Campus at The University of Law

Unacceptable behaviours in any setting can include discrimination, abuse, harassment, violence, and misconduct. The Safe & Inclusive Campus can provide support and options for any form of unacceptable behaviour.

Some examples of specific behaviours are provided below:

Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour involving the misuse of power that can make a person feel vulnerable, upset, humiliated, undermined or threatened.
Harassment is unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic where the conduct has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.
Sexual misconduct and sexual violence are sometimes used as interchangeable terms to describe any form of unwanted sexual behaviour, whether it is verbal, physical, or online. Sexual misconduct/ violence behaviours can include: sexual harassment; sexual assault; rape; stealthing; non-consensual sharing of intimate imagery.
Domestic abuse can be any incident or pattern or incidents of abuse between those aged 16 years and over who are personally connected to one another. Abuse can be: physical; emotional/ psychological; sexual; financial; controlling and coercive behaviour.
Spiking involves administering drugs or alcohol to another person, for example in their drink, without their knowledge or consent.
Direct discrimination occurs when you treat a person less favourably than you treat (or would treat) another person because of a protected characteristic under the Equality Act.
Indirect discrimination occurs when you apply a provision, criteria or practice in the same way for everyone, but this has the effect of putting people sharing a protected characteristic at a particular disadvantage.
Microaggressions are small acts or remarks that makes someone feel insulted or treated badly because of their race, sex, etc., even though the act may not have intended to cause insult. Acts can combine with other similar acts or remarks over time to cause further harm.
Hate incidents and hate crime are acts of violence or hostility directed at people because of who they are or who someone thinks they are. This can be committed against a person or property. All police forces record hate incidents based on these five personal characteristics: disability; race or ethnicity; religion or belief; sexual orientation; transgender identity.
Stalking or harassment happen when someone repeatedly behaves in a way that makes another person feel scared, threatened or distressed. Stalking is a form of harassment where the stalker caries out behaviours which are fixated, obsessive, unwanted and repeated.
Strangulation involves the non-consensual application of force or pressure by an individual to another’s neck, whether using their hands or other means. This includes chokeholds, and pressure applied using ligatures (belts, ropes, scarfs etc.).
‘Honour’-based abuse is an incident or crime involving violence, threats of violence, intimidation, coercion or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse), which has or may have been committed to protect or defend the honour of an individual, family and/or community for alleged or perceived breaches of the family and/or community's code of behaviour

If you are in immediate danger, call 999. You can call 101 to report non-emergency crime in the UK, or 111 for non-emergency medical support.

To seek support in the university, please send minimal details to the Safe & Inclusive Campus Team using this form.

After receiving a disclosure from the form, the Safe & Inclusive Campus team will:

Make contact, if details have been left, to arrange a time to discuss the information you want to share
Listen and validate
Explain next steps clearly: your options under the Dignity at Work and Study Policy for resolution.
Record information accurately
Signpost and/or refer to the appropriate services, with your consent
Maintain confidentiality, sharing only on a need-to know basis, keeping you at the centre
Offer ongoing support: check in, provide updates where possible, and ensure appropriate support is in place

The Safe & Inclusive Campus Team can signpost or refer you to different university services including:

The Wellbeing Service
The Mental Health Service
The Disability & Inclusion Service
The Money, Housing, and Accommodation Advice Service
Academic support
Employability support
Spectrum Life which offers confidential counselling support
The University of Law Students' Unionwhich can offer advice and guidance

External support can also be discussed. This may include:

Information on bullying and harassment from Citizens Advice
Forensic examinations and sexual health support: Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) can offer confidential medical and practical support to people who have recently been raped or sexually assaulted. SARCs are usually provided by the NHS. Find your nearest SARC here.
Counselling and therapy support: Specialist sexual violence counselling is provided free of charge, mainly through Rape Crisiscentres (applicable to sexual violence behaviours other than rape). General counselling or therapy may be offered through your GP (General Practitioner/ NHS doctor).
Specific LGBTQ+ support: Galop is an LGBT+ anti-violence charity who support people who have experienced hate crime, sexual violence or domestic abuse. They also support lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people who have had problems with the police or have questions about the criminal justice system.
Your local domestic abuse servicefrom Women’s Aid can be found here.
Domestic abuse helplineprovided by Refuge can be found here. The 24-hour helpline number is 0808 2000 247.
Information on experiences related to Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic students' mental health
Information and support for victims of crime from the independent charity, Victim Support.
Support for anti-Muslim hate from TELL MAMA

If you are in immediate danger, call 999. You can call 101 to report non-emergency crime in the UK, or 111 for non-emergency medical support.

To seek support in the university, you or the person you’re supporting can submit details to the Safe & Inclusive Campus Team using this form. You can disclose their details on their behalf – make sure they know you are doing this first, though.

After receiving a disclosure from the form, the Safe & Inclusive Campus team will:

Make contact, if details have been left, to arrange a time to discuss the information you want to share
Listen and validate
Explain next steps clearly: your options under the Dignity at Work and Study Policy for resolution.
Record information accurately
Signpost and/or refer to the appropriate services, with your consent
Maintain confidentiality, sharing only on a need-to know basis, keeping you at the centre
Offer ongoing support: check in, provide updates where possible, and ensure appropriate support is in place

If you have supported someone making a disclosure or seeking support, make sure you look after yourself:

Acknowledge the emotional impact: it’s normal to feel affected after supporting someone
Don’t carry it alone and access support if needed: use Student Assistance Programme, Student Support & Wellbeing services or appropriate peer support (while maintaining confidentiality)
Know your limits: you are there to listen and signpost, not to fix everything
Maintain boundaries: avoid over-involvement or taking responsibility for outcomes
Take time to decompress: step away, reflect, and reset after difficult conversations

If you would like to report to the University of Law, this is something more than making a disclosure which you can do to a member of staff in order to access support. Reporting means sharing your information for the purpose of a disciplinary decision being made and punitive action being taken.

The Dignity and Work and Study Policy outlines the university’s approach to all unacceptable behaviours. There are formal and informal reporting routes which can be taken, and more information and support through these procedures can be provided by a university Safe & Inclusive Campus Advisor. Contact with the team can be made via this form.

If you would like to report to the police, there is more information and an online reporting pathway here. In an emergency, call 999.

In order to support out whole-university approach to prevent and address unacceptable behaviours and support those affected, the Safe & Inclusive Campus Team have developed a suite of training resources for staff and students.

There are three levels of training for staff and students, depending on the roles held by individuals and how much they will need to know about responding to and preventing harassment and misconduct behaviours.

Level 1 training is mandatory for all staff and students. Those who are required to complete Levels 2 and 3 will be notified.

If you are a student, you can access the training through the Safe Inclusive Campus organisation on Elite.

If you are a member of staff, you can access the training through Elevate.

Opting out

We recognise that engaging with training on topics such as harassment and misconduct can be difficult and potentially triggering for some. Whilst some level of discomfort is to be expected when challenging behavioural norms and discussing sensitive topics, we do not want for anyone to feel severely affected by the training. If you choose to opt out of the training because you have personal experience of these topics and would be affected by the training, please follow the opt out process on Elite (for students) or Elevate (for staff). Opting out for any other reason is not acceptable.

The Safe & Inclusive Campus Team are committed to providing information about and opportunities to discuss the topics we respond to, with the aim of preventing them from happening in the first place.

Please visit our campaigns page for more information and to get involved with upcoming events and activities.

If you would like to be involved in the planning or delivery of future events and campaigns, please complete this expression of interest form.

For key student policies and procedures, please visit here.

For key staff policies and procedures, please visit here.

These policies and procedures include:

Dignity at Work and Study Policy- a clear framework to challenge and address all forms of bullying, harassment, discrimination and victimisation, ensuring these behaviours are identified, reported and resolved.
Dignity at Work and Study Formal Procedures- a structured process for students to make and escalate formal complaints of bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation by other students or staff, ensuring serious incidents are thoroughly investigated.
Dignity at Work and Study Informal Procedures- outlines a route for staff and students to resolve concerns about bullying, harassment, discrimination or other unacceptable behaviour, encouraging early intervention through personal conversations, supported approaches or mediation to prevent escalation.
Student Sexual Misconduct Policy- defines what sexual misconduct is and sets out the University’s approach to preventing and addressing sexual misconduct. The policy applies to behaviour and conduct by registered students, against other students or staff members.
Personal Relationships Between Staff and Students Policy– sets out the guidelines, regulations and process around disclosing personal relationships between staff and students and how the University manage this.
Staff Code of Conduct- defines clear expectations for Staff conduct to support a safe and inclusive learning environment.
Student Code of Behaviour- defines clear expectations for student conduct to support a safe and inclusive learning environment.
Student Social Media Policy- outlines the responsibilities and expectations for students when using social media, emphasising appropriate conduct both personally and when representing University clubs or societies.
Student Charter- outlines the mutual expectations between students and the University, detailing students’ rights to quality teaching, effective support and a professional learning environment, alongside their responsibilities to engage with studies, uphold academic standards and behave appropriately.
Student Discipline Regulations– outlines the process for investigating breaches and are used to determine whether a student has committed a disciplinary offence.
Grievance Policy - provides a mechanism for any staff member to formally raise a work related concern without any detriment to their position with the University.

Non-Disclosure Agreements

From 1st September 2024, Universities were prohibited from using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in relation to allegations of harassment or sexual misconduct involving students, a measure we have been compliant with for several years prior to the regulation being formalised.

This aligns with condition E6.10 of the Office for Students regulatory framework, which states that providers must not impose or enforce any contractual terms that prevent or restrict a student from disclosing information about such allegations. This prohibition applies to all agreements, including settlements, and is designed to ensure students can speak openly about their experiences, support others, and contribute to a culture of accountability and transparency.

We are committed to fostering a safe and supportive environment where allegations of harassment or sexual misconduct can be raised, addressed and learned from without fear of enforced silence.

Staff / Student relationships

We understand the need for measures which could make a significant and credible difference in protecting students from any actual or potential conflict of interest and/or abuse of power. Therefore, we have adopted a ‘notify and manage’ approach with regards to staff/student relationships.

An appropriate manager will conduct a risk assessment with the colleague and student to identify the mitigating actions needed to ensure any possible conflict of interest and/or abuse of power is reduced and managed proactively. This document will be stored in line with the University’s data protection principles as outlined in the Data Protection Policy. Further guidance is held within the Personal Relationships Between Staff and Students Policy.