Nobody should have to experience abuse either in or out of a relationship. It’s important to remember that you’re not alone, and there are people out there who can and want to help you. You cannot control your abusers actions, but you can control what you do next.
You don’t have to wait for an emergency situation to seek help. If you’re experiencing relationship abuse and need help or support, there are a number of support services available. Whether you want to report what has happened, or talk through your options, there are a number of university-based support services available to you. They can also provide general support if you don’t want to take the incident any further.
University support services
- Report + Support allows students and staff to report incidents either anonymously or with contact details for follow-up. The service also provides information on a range of different incidents, along with both internal and external support services.
- Student Wellbeing Services can provide information and advice to help support students for a number of issues and direct them to more specialist support services. They also have a counselling service which provides one-to-one, confidential support for students, in the form of short-term counselling or referral to specialised support services.
- The Advice Hub offer free, impartial and confidential advice to students about a range of issues, including mental health and wellbeing.
- Respect Ambassadors are staff members who can provide confidential guidance and support to staff who have witnessed or experienced inappropriate behaviour or are having a difficult time.
- Care First is a health package for staff, which offers support for a range of practical and emotional issues, as well as one-to-one counselling sessions.
Reporting to the Police: Abusive behaviour from a partner or ex-partner is a criminal offence. This includes any form of physical, psychological, sexual, emotional or financial abuse, such as coercive control, and also covers acts of revenge porn. If you are unsure whether to report to the police, you can arrange to speak with the Student Wellbeing Services or CareFirst to discuss your options.
Independent specialist support (UK specific):
If you or someone you know is experiencing any form of relationship abuse, please report it to the police. You can report any incident to Police Scotland by visiting your local police station, online or by calling 101. You can ask to speak to a female police officer if you prefer. You can also report the incident anonymously by calling Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you are being threatened or are in immediate danger, please call 999. If you’re unable to speak, you can use the Silent Solution system: call 999, then press 55 when prompted – this lets the operator know the call is genuine, and you will be put through to the police.
Heriot-Watt is proud to work with the #EmilyTest campaign, supporting students affected by gender-based violence and making sure that staff and students are fully aware of where to find support. You can find out more about this campaign here: http://emilytest.co.uk/.