Nobody should have to live with the fear and anxiety that a hate crime and discrimination can cause.
If you have experienced or are experiencing discrimination or hate incidents/crimes then you may be feeling many different emotions, such as shock, anger, fear or sadness. We are here to support you, and understand this may be a very difficult time.
If you have experienced or are experiencing discrimination or hate incidents/crimes then you may be feeling many different emotions, such as shock, anger, fear or sadness. We are here to support you, and understand this may be a very difficult time.
Discrimination and hate incidents are contrary to the Equality Act 2010 and the University EDI policy which can be viewed by clicking here.
Think
- If an incident has recently taken place, it is important to get yourself to a safe place. You may be experiencing shock, as well as many other different emotions.
- If you are in immediate danger, or in need of urgent medical attention, please contact 999 and ask for the police and/or ambulance.
- If you're on campus, you can call Campus Security (call their Emergencies number, 01227 823333). They can refer you for support from the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser for Discrimination, Bullying and Hate Incidents.
Report
- Report and Support. Report and Support is the University's online reporting tool that provides direct, confidential help, whilst not immediately triggering a formal complaint. Students can report an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support from an advisor. If you choose to talk to an advisor, they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you, in confidence. No formal investigation will be triggered without your consent, but you can still access confidential support.
- University Procedure. The University takes instances of discrimination and hate incidents very seriously. If you would like to discuss the process of reporting to the university informally (that is, before submitting a formal complaint), you are able to access this by reporting through Report and Support. If you choose to make a formal complaint to the University about a student or member of staff there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow. Further details can be found on the Student Conduct and Complaints page.
- Reporting Anonymously via Crimestoppers. If you are worried about a reporting process, and would prefer to report anonymously, you can report to Crimstoppers. Crimestoppers are an independent charity that gives people the power to speak up and stop crime, 100% anonymously. Crimestoppers will send your report to the local police force. You can find additional information about this here.
- Need to contact the Police? If you are in immediate danger or are seriously injured, you can call 999 (or 112 from a mobile). For non-emergency calls, dial 101. To find out more information about how Kent Police can support you, please click here.
Get Support
- Specialist Wellbeing Adviser. During office hours you can speak with the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser (Bullying, Discrimination, Hate Crimes). This is a specialist member of staff who is able to provide practical support and advice to anyone who reports an incident (support available at both Medway and Canterbury). You can book an appointment with the Specialist Wellbeing Adviser (Bullying, Discrimination, Hate Crimes) by emailing KentSSW@kent.ac.uk, or by calling 01227 82 3158 from Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
- Counselling Service. Students are able to access support from our counselling team within Student Support and Wellbeing. Counselling offers you a safe space to address the impact that an incident has had upon you. All counsellors are fully qualified members of BACP, BABCP, or UKCP, and adhere to ethical guidelines. Counselling can be accessed by emailing us: counselling@kent.ac.uk or medwaycounselling@kent.ac.uk
Or, you can call us: +44 (01227 823206). If you want to understand our Counselling Service better, see this visual guide (alternative text available). - Mental Health and Wellbeing. We have mental Health Advisers, who can offer mental health advice and support if you have found your mental health to be impacted following an incident. If you feel you need urgent support, please phone = 01227 826573 for the Canterbury campus or 01634 888474 for Medway or email KentSSW@kent.ac.uk or MedwaySSW@kent.ac.uk and ask for an on-the-day appointment. We also have a guide to help you understand what happens in a mental health adviser meeting.
- Nightline. Call Nightline and speak to a trained student volunteer about anything that may be troubling you. Student volunteers are on hand throughout the night if you just need someone to listen. (20.00-08.00, Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday).