Stalking can have a lasting impact and may leave you feeling isolated, scared or anxious. It may also affect your confidence and stop you from taking part in activities you enjoy.
You may experience a range of emotions, including shock, anger, fear or sadness. We understand that this can be a difficult time.
You do not have to deal with this alone. We encourage you to speak to someone you trust or access support.
- Are you in immediate danger or need urgent medical help? If you are in immediate danger or have been seriously injured, call the emergency services on 999 (or 112 from a mobile phone). Report and Support is not an emergency reporting tool.
- Find a safe space. If an incident has happened, and you are able to, try to get to a safe place.
- Call Campus Security if you are on campus - 01227 823333.
- Avoid engaging with the stalker, where possible. Prioritise your safety.
- Consider changing your daily routine, the routes you might take or the times you are usually leaving your home or arriving back.
- Let people around you know your concerns, if you feel able to. This could be your family, close friends, Campus Security, Specialist University Staff, or your manager at work.
- Think about different options for alarms in your home, and when you are out and about.
- Use a personal safety app, such as Hollieguard.
- Download the SafeZone app.
- Use Campus Security's walking taxis. The service is available 24 hours a day for the University of Kent's Canterbury campus. Call 01227 823300.
- Save any evidence before deleting or reporting, but only when you feel it is safe to do so.
- Use an online checklist or risk assessment tool to help you know more about your options, and possible next steps. These can help recognise stalking behaviour and understand what to do next. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust tool may help.
- Trust your instincts.
- Keep all communications, including letters, parcels, text messages, WhatsApp messages and social-media messages. Take screenshots where helpful, and keep original versions where possible.
- Keep a diary of all contact and incidents, including dates, times, locations and what happened.
- If you know, or think you know, who is stalking you, note identifying details such as their appearance, clothing, vehicle registration number and vehicle colour.
- Note any telephone numbers, social-media handles or names they use.
- Staffordshire Police with The Suzy Lamplugh Trust have a good tool to keep and record evidence to create a log or diary of the different events and incidents you may be experiencing. You can find this here.
- Check your online presence, and review your settings.
- Use strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication where possible. Change passwords if you think someone has gained access to your account.
- Change your settings on social media and social networking platforms to private. Check the privacy settings you have in place.
- Report unwanted messaging and contact that takes places on social networks or media to the platform providers.
- Check the advice from Get Safe Online.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust have more help and advice here.
- Specialist Wellbeing Team During office hours, the Specialist Wellbeing Team provide practical support and advice to anyone who has experienced an incident and would like support. Support is available at both Medway and Canterbury campuses. You can book an appointment with the Specialist Wellbeing Team by emailing KentSSW@kent.ac.uk, or by calling 01227 823158 from Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm
- Counselling Service Students are able to access support from the University's counselling team within Student Support and Wellbeing. Counselling provides a safe space to address the impact that an incident has had on you. All counsellors are fully qualified members of BACP, BABCP, or UKCP, and adhere to ethical guidelines. Counselling can be accessed by emailing: counselling@kent.ac.uk or by calling 01227 823206.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Mental Health Advisers can offer advice and support if an incident has affected your mental health. If you need urgent support, please call 01227 826573 or email KentSSW@kent.ac.uk and ask for an on-the-day appointment.
- SpectrumLife Providing in the moment support online, text or telephone. Call 0800 0318227 and press option 1, or text or Whatsapp 'Hi' to 07418 360780.
- Report and Support. Report and Support is the University’s online reporting tool. You can choose to make an anonymous report or request support from an adviser. Requesting support does not automatically start a formal complaint. You can receive confidential support without making a formal report. The option you choose determines what happens next: anonymous reports help the University understand patterns and concerns, while requesting adviser support allows an adviser to contact you to discuss your options. No formal investigation will be triggered without your consent, but you can still access support.
- University Procedure. If you would like to discuss your options informally before deciding if you want to make a formal complaint to the university, you can do so by submitting a named Report and Support report. Further details can be found on the Student Appeals, Conduct and Complaints page along with the steps and procedures to follow if you choose to make a formal complaint.
- Reporting Anonymously via Crimestoppers. If you are worried about a reporting process, and would prefer to report anonymously, you can report to Crimestoppers. Crimestoppers is an independent charity that enables people to share information about crime anonymously. Crimestoppers will send your report to the relevant local police force. Find out more on the Crimestoppers website.
- Police For non-emergency support dial 101. To find out more about the support available from Kent Police, visit the Kent Police website.