Formerly known as the Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) Service, we have renamed the service to ensure it is more accessible and inclusive. Our Sexual Misconduct Liaison Advice Service (SMLA) is here to provide specialist support for students and staff who have experienced sexual misconduct at any point in their lifetime.
What Does an SMLA Do?
A Sexual Misconduct Liaison Adviser (SMLA) is a primary point of contact within the University, providing non-judgmental and survivor-led support, ensuring that you remain in control of your next steps. They can assist with:
- Explaining your reporting options
- Guidance on University policies and procedures
- Signposting and referring to internal and external services
- Liaising with your course team e.g. if need time away from studies
- Advising on assessments and mitigating circumstances
- Liaising with existing external support
- Acting as a point of contact for the police
How can I access this support?
You can complete the SMLA referral form through Report and Support and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Who Can Access an SMLA?
The service is available to students and staff who have experienced any form of sexual misconduct including:
- Recent and non-recent cases
- Incidents that occurred inside or outside of a university setting
- Situations that have not been reported to the police
- Incidents that happened outside of the UK (please note our SMLAs' training is based on the English and Welsh criminal justice system)
Additionally, SMLAs can support students who have been accused of misconduct, by providing information on the University’s procedures and signposting to wellbeing services.
Who are the University SMLAs?
The SMLA service is a diverse group of staff drawn from various teams across the university namely Student Wellbeing, Students' Union, Staff Wellbeing and EDI (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion). We will endeavour to meet a clients request for an SMLA from a particular background.
All our SMLAs complete LimeCulture’s Sexual Violence Liaison Officer development programme training which is an intensive course that equips SMLAs with the knowledge and specialist skills to identify risk and support the needs of students and staff who have experienced sexual violence.
Confidentiality notice:
Your privacy is important to us. The SMLA service is confidential, meaning:
✅ You do not have to provide full disclosure of the incident to receive support
✅ Any notes taken by SMLAs are confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis within University support services.
✅ SMLAs do not investigate cases—their role is purely to offer guidance and support.
However, 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)
- For those involved in a criminal investigation, please be aware that police and criminal courts can request copies of meeting notes, and the University cannot refuse legal requests.
You can access University's Privacy Policy for further information and guidance.