If you have been subjected to domestic abuse of any kind at any point in your life, what happened was not your fault and there is support available.
If you know someone who has been subjected to domestic abuse, you can support them by sharing the information below and supporting their decisions about what to do next.
There is support available through the University of Law and in the community. You may also be able to formally report what happened to the University and/or to the police. More information on these support and reporting options can be found below.
Safety
Immediate support: if you are in danger or require the police or an ambulance, call 999.
Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened try and find somewhere you feel safe.
If you are concerned about anyone tracking your use of this or other related sites, then find out how to cover your tracks online.
For more information about staying safe online and an interactive tool designed to provide awareness and understanding of the platforms someone else might have access to, visit this site provided by the charity Refuge.
Support – if you are looking for…
Support at the University of Law: ULaw has a team of trained Advisors who can help you understand and access your options for support and reporting domestic abuse and any other unacceptable behaviours. Your Advisor can help you access all of the options below. You can access support from an Advisor by sharing some information here.
Who offers specialist domestic abuse support at the University of Law?
Support is provided by Advisors in Student Support and Wellbeing who have received training to develop knowledge and specialist skills to identify risk and support the needs of students and staff who have been subjected to domestic abuse. These Advisors are not investigators but can support students alongside university disciplinary procedures.
The Advisor service is confidential, meaning: you do not have to provide full disclosure of the incident to receive support and Advisors’ notes are confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis.
In rare circumstances, confidentiality may need to be broken if: there is a risk of harm to you or others; there is a safeguarding concern (e.g. involving a minor or vulnerable adult); or when the police or courts order notes to be provided in criminal investigations.
You can access University's Privacy Policy for further information and guidance.
Specialist domestic abuse support: Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) are specialist domestic abuse/violence professionals who supports survivors of domestic abuse. Their job is to make them and their family as safe as possible. They stand side by side with survivors and make sure they get whatever help they need. More information about IDVAs can be found here. A video about who IDVAs are and what they do is here.
Your local domestic abuse service from Women’s Aid can be found here.
Domestic abuse helpline provided by Refuge can be found here. The 24 hour helpline number is 0808 2000 247.
Support specifically for male victim/survivors of domestic abuse can be found here.
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.
Reporting
If you would like to report to the police, there is more information and an online reporting pathway here.
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 Advisor.
For more information about the University of Law’s approach to unacceptable behaviours, please see here.