Sexual misconduct and assault
Any form of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment is #Never OK
The University takes any incidents of sexual violence or sexual harassment very seriously and is committed to handling all reports sensitively, effectively and in a timely manner. We do not permit these behaviours in our University community and we expect everyone to treat all members of the community with dignity and respect.
If you think you have been the target of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment, it may be hard to know what to do or to manage how you are feeling. Everyone responds differently to sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence – so whatever you feel is a valid response.
We understand how scared and confused you might be and how difficult you may be finding it to speak to someone about it -– these, and many other thoughts and feelings are all normal responses.
You may also have concerns what might happen if you did tell someone; being forced to do something you don’t want to, such as involving the Police. Other worries might include concerns that your family might be informed or there might be an impact on your visa and your studies. You do not need to worry, these things will not happen.
We also know that you may be worried about the impacts on the person you are reporting, particularly if you know or are /have been in a relationship with them or from your past experiences you may feel this behaviour towards you is just feeling normal and part of your life.
We encourage you to act promptly and not to feel any sexual violence or harassment is your fault. The University recognises that any incident is unacceptable and likely to be distressing. It is important that you don’t feel you should have to tolerate such behaviour and that you have the support of the University to decide if and how you want to take any further action. In addition it will enable the University to make arrangement and to put support in place if necessary, including where possible, measures to protect the personal safety of all involved.
If you have been affected by sexual assault and would like to formally report the incident to the University – you can do this via emailing neverok@reading.ac.uk. Once you have reported an incident our Student Welfare team will contact you to offer you support, talk through your options and explain what can happen next to help you decide what you want to do.
Read more about the reporting process and how we can support you.
The following guidance can help you make informed decisions about the next steps and the support available.
Sexual misconduct, violence and harassment can be experienced by any individual, regardless of their sex, gender, sexual orientation, relationship status, age, disability, faith, religion, ethnicity, nationality and economic status. Women, members of the LGBTQ+ community and individuals with disabilities are disproportionately affected by experiences of sexual violence. Experiences of sexual misconduct and violence may also intersect with other forms of harassment and bullying.