I really need help now - what can I do?
If you are in a dangerous situation, please call 999 immediately. You can also call SOAS' Campus Safety team on 07548 240542. This service is available 24/7 365 days a year.
What is Report + Support?
Report + Support is an online tool developed by Culture Shift where staff, students and visitors can report issues of bullying, harassment and discrimination anonymously or with contact details. Report + Support is also home to information about internal and external support, and policies and procedures.
Who can make a report?
SOAS students, staff or visitors can make a report through Report + Support.
What happens when someone makes an anonymous report?
Depending on whether you are a member of staff, student or visitor, the report will be viewed a relevant member of the HR, Student Casework or Governance team. They will first review the report to identify any risks that relate to duty of care. If no immediate risk is identified the report will be triaged and assigned to the appropriate person for action. If no immediate action can be taken the report will be closed. The information kept will be for trend analysis and used to inform proactive prevention.
What is the difference between reporting anonymously and with contact details?
When reporting with contact details you will be asked to provide your name and email address, whereas when reporting anonymously none of this information captured. When reporting with contact details you can expect a member of the relevant team to contact you to discuss the matter further. When reporting anonymously we won't be able to contact you unless you opt into our messaging service. You can read more about our messaging service here.
How do you deal with malicious complaints?
Malicious or vexatious reports are extremely rare, if a report is thought to be malicious or vexatious we will look to investigate it's legitimacy, if it is found to be a false allegations that impacts on an individual then disciplinary action may be taken. However, those reporting are often accused of making up their allegations as a retaliation tactic which is used to deter people from reporting. Additionally if an investigation does not find enough evidence to take action on a matter this does not mean that the allegations were malicious nor is it proof that they did not happen. Investigations only asses if there is enough evidence to prove that the behaviour did take place.
What do you do with the information gathered from anonymous reports?
We use the information gathered from anonymous reports to inform actions we can take to address and prevent unacceptable behaviours. We aggregate this data to understand trends and patterns, this allows us to target specific departments or locations with interventions. Those intervention may be direct or indirect. If someone is named in an anonymous report we will risk asses the report and decide what action is safe and appropriate to take.
How secure is the data and information sent through the system?
Data held on Report + Support is GDPR compliant and further information about how data is collected and stored is outlined in SOAS' Privacy Notice. The system has been security tested by both the developer, Culture Shift, and by SOAS.
How long is data sorted on the system?
We will only retain personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil purposes we collected it for. We will keep records of reports one year from case closure on the Report + Support system as outlined in the Privacy Notice.
If I submit a report, will you contact the person I have reported?
Usually, contact will only be made with the person you are reporting once you have made a decision to proceed with an investigation, if appropriate for your circumstances. However, under our duty of care to our staff and students, there are some circumstances in which we may need to investigate or make an external report even if there is no consent given.
A few of us have all been affected by the same incident. Do we all need to submit reports?
No, there is no need for all people who have been affected to submit reports separately. It is fine for one person to submit a report on behalf of the group, unless multiple people would like to submit report. If appropriate, the whole group can then meet with an adviser to discuss what has happened and what options and support are available.
If I submit a report, will you undertake an investigation straight away?
Making a report is just a first step and does not initiate a formal complaints process - the choice for this will always remain with you and your adviser can talk you through your options. Usually, we will not start an investigation until we have met with you to find out more about what has happened. If it is felt that an investigation is appropriate for your situation, we will talk you through the process so that you can decide if you wish to proceed.Under our duty of care to our staff and students, there are some circumstances in which we may need to investigate or make an external report even if there is no consent given.
What happens if I report a criminal offence?
The University does not have the legal powers that the Police have and we are more limited in what we can do (for example, we cannot detain anyone or gather forensic evidence), but we will investigate complaints about sexual violence and any other form of abuse against a student where we are able to. This process will often not start until a Police investigation has concluded. This is so the University does not compromise the Police investigation. However, we can take precautionary action in the meantime. If you submit a complaint against a named member of the University community, we will complete a risk assessment and put actions in place to mitigate risk. This action does not mean that a complaint has been upheld, but means that the University has taken action to reduce the risk to you and the University community, based on the information currently available. The safety and wellbeing of all our students is our key priority.
Can I report something that happened off campus?
Yes. you can report something, even if it happened off campus. Report + Support is available to all staff and students who have experienced sexual misconduct, discrimination, harassment, bullying and/or hate crime. Support is available regardless of where the incident happened.
If I submit a report do I have to meet someone in person?
You do not have to meet someone in person. We can communicate with you through Microsoft Teams or by email if you prefer. If you do wish to meet in person, we will arrange a mutually convenient time and place and you can elect to bring someone with you for support.
What happens if I want to find out more about the process but I am not ready to submit a report?
You can speak to the Students' Union or the Student Advice and Wellbeing team. Both can talk you through the process and provide support.
What happens if I need support but do not feel ready to submit a report?
You can speak to the Students' Union or the Student Advice and Wellbeing team. There are also a range of external organisations who you can contact for support. There are more details on the support pages on this site.
Can I bring someone to a meeting for support?
Yes, you can bring another student or a staff member to a meeting to support you. It would be best not to bring someone who you might ask to provide a witness statement at a later date. You can check with your adviser if you have any questions about this.
Can I submit a report but later decide not to pursue it?
You can stop the process at any time subject to the University's risk assessment of the situation. Please keep in contact with the team and we will offer you ongoing support should you wish.
I have copies of messages and emails that show what happened. Can I send these to you?
Yes, you can upload files such as photos and screenshots of messages that help to show what happened when you submit a report. Please do not upload images of a graphic, sexual or offensive nature. If we need to see these, we will contact you later to advise further.
If you have file types that cannot be uploaded (such as pdf), you will be able to email them to your adviser at a later date.
Will the report be on my student/staff record?
No, the report is confidential and separate to your student/staff record.
Would you share the report with a funding body that supports me?
No, we would not communicate with any external funding bodies or sponsors.