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UCL statement following criminal conviction of Zhenhao Zou

5 March 2025

Following former student Zhenhao Zou’s conviction for multiple rapes and other serious offences, we have issued this statement and are providing support for our community.

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Trigger warning: this article contains references to sexual assault. 

UCL's President & Provost Dr Michael Spence said:  “We have been appalled by these horrific offences. Our thoughts are with the survivors and we wish to pay tribute to the bravery of the women who reported these crimes and gave evidence at the trial.  

"The prevalence of sexual harassment, violence and abuse in society is extremely alarming and causes immense harm to victims, their families and wider communities. This case is particularly distressing and our focus is providing support for our students, alumni and staff through a range of services. These include 24/7 access to confidential support lines and access to mental health professionals including trained counsellors and psychologists. We also provide support through our partnerships with specialist organisations like Rape Crisis. We are here to support anyone at UCL who has been impacted by this case, directly or indirectly.   

 "We have supported the Metropolitan Police with their enquiries throughout this investigation, and we would like to thank the Police and Crown Prosecution Service for ensuring the successful prosecution of these abhorrent crimes. Following the launch of the Police appeal, we urge anyone with information related to these crimes to contact the Police via this webpage, by emailing survivors@met.police.uk or calling 101, if they are comfortable doing so. 

"Anyone affected at UCL can report any incidents to us through our online reporting tool and access Crime Prevention and Personal Safety support on and off campus. We will also support members of our community with reporting an incident to the Police, if they wish to do so."  

Supporting our community 

The safety and wellbeing of students, alumni and staff affected by sexual violence is our long-standing priority. We are continuously working to review, strengthen and improve our support services and the education and preventative programmes that we provide to our community.   

We invest significantly in specialised teams available for students, alumni, and staff to access expert support: 

  • Our student support teams consist of over 300 dedicated professionals who offer a confidential, non-judgmental space for students to discuss any issues or concerns, whether on or off campus. These staff have been trained in handling sensitive disclosures, including sexual violence. 

  • Over two years ago, we were one of the first universities to introduce dedicated roles, Independent Sexual Violence Advisors, to support our community. We are now increasing this team, as well as expanding by over a third the team that deals with any cases that students report. 

  • We also offer access to trained counsellors and psychologists, and referrals to partner organisations like Rape Crisis.  

  • All UCL alumni can contact the UCL Alumni Wellbeing Service who will provide 24/7 confidential, free mental health and wellbeing support at any time in multiple languages. We also offer access to a digital wellbeing platform and app, and drop-in sessions with a mental health specialist in person or online. 

  • Staff affected by sexual violence can access confidential, free mental health and wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Programme.  

Action against sexual violence 

Awareness is key to preventing sexual violence in our community and our students and staff play a crucial role. This is why we continually invest in a range of preventative education and training: 

  • As part of our ongoing commitment to preventing and tackling sexual violence, we have implemented a range of programmes and initiatives, supported by specialist partners such as Rape Crisis, Survivors Network and Stamp Out Spiking, to protect, support and educate our community. 

  • Launched ten years ago, more than 50,000 students have been trained through our Active Bystanders programme to safely intervene to stop harassment, bullying, racism and sexual misconduct. It is the largest programme of its kind in higher education and will become mandatory for all students from September 2025.  

  • All staff in our bars and venues have undertaken the CPL Drink Spiking awareness course and are trained in how to implement the Ask for Angela scheme. We also have freely available drink lids, spiking testing kits and bottle stops in all our student union venues. 

  • Security is available across campus 24/7 and lead security staff receive specialised training around supporting student welfare and vulnerability.  

  • We continue to deepen the training that our staff and SU staff receive with an additional 300 staff expected to receive new training through Stamp Out Spiking before the end of Spring Term 2025. 

  • Universities across the UK recognise the devastating impact of sexual violence on students and wider society and are taking action to raise awareness, prevent and address these issues. We are working actively with partners across higher education, government, charity and police to tackle these issues, as well as with our own students.  

We are also working with local stakeholders, including Camden Safety Partnerships, to introduce initiatives focused on safety in the borough and in particular women’s safety. 

Simplified Chinese version UCL声明:简体中文

伦敦大学学院(UCL)关于Zhenhao Zou被刑事定罪的声明 

曾就读于我校的Zhenhao Zou因犯下多项强奸罪和其他严重罪行被定罪,我们特此发表声明,并为我们的所有相关方提供支持。 

警告:本文涉及性侵害相关内容。 

伦敦大学学院(UCL)校长兼教务长施迈克博士(Dr Michael Spence)表示:  

我们对这些严重性侵害罪行感到愤慨。我们的心与幸存者同在,并向挺身而出举报这些罪行并在审判中作证的勇敢女性致敬。  

社会上性骚扰、性暴力和性虐待现象的普遍存在令人极为担忧,对受害者、他们的家庭和各相关方造成了巨大伤害。这起案件尤其令人感到不安和痛心,因此我们的工作重点是通过各项服务为我们的学生、校友和教职员工提供支持,包括24 小时保密支持热线以及由心理健康专业人士(包括受过专业培训的咨询师和心理学家)提供的全天候咨询服务。我们还与 “强奸危机”(Rape Crisis)等专业机构合作以提供支持。我们希望支持所有在此案件中受到直接或间接影响的UCL相关人员。  

我们在案件的整个调查过程中一直配合伦敦大都会警察局的调查工作,我们希望对警方和皇家检察院表示感谢,是他们确保了这些令人发指的罪行获成功起诉。警方已经正式发出呼吁,我们鼓励任何知情人士,在自愿的情况下通过警方的网页、邮箱survivors@met.police.uk或拨打101联系警方。  

此外,受影响的UCL各相关方可通过在线举报平台向我们进行举报,无论身处校内还是校外,都能获得学校犯罪预防与个人安全团队(Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Advice)的支持。如果他们愿意,我们也会支持我们的相关方成员向警方报告自己的受害事件。 

为相关方提供的支持 

保护受性暴力事件影响的学生、校友和教职员工的安全和身心健康一直是我们的首要任务。我们不断审视、加强并改善我们为各相关方提供的支持服务、相关教育及防范措施。    

我们投入巨大资源组建专业团队,旨在为学生、校友和教职员工提供专业支持: 

  • 我们的学生支持团队由300多名专业人员组成,他们都接受过处理包括性暴力等敏感问题的专业培训。团队致力于为学生提供保密、无偏见的交流空间,让学生能安心讨论他们的问题和担忧,无论这些事情发生在校内还是校外。  

  • 两年多前,UCL成为首批成立独立性暴力顾问团队的大学之一,以期为各相关方提供支持。目前,我们正在拓展团队规模,其中专门负责处理各类学生举报的团队将扩大三分之一以上。  

  • 我们还提供专业咨询师和心理学家的咨询服务,以及转介至“强奸危机”(Rape Crisis) 等专业机构的服务。   

  • 所有 UCL 校友均可联系 UCL 校友福祉服务,在保护隐私的情况下,获得免费的多语种24小时心理健康支持服务。此外,我们还提供身心健康数字平台和应用程序,以及与心理健康专家面对面或在线交流的机会。  

  • 遭受性暴力事件影响的教职员工可以通过员工援助计划(EAP),在保护隐私的情况下,获得免费的心理健康支持服务。 

打击性暴力的举措 

提高意识是预防性暴力事件的关键,我们的学生和教职员工在这方面发挥着至关重要的作用。这也推动着我们不断开展一系列预防性教育和培训项目:  

  • 我们一直致力于预防和解决性暴力问题。在强奸危机(Rape Crisis)、幸存者网络(Survivors Network)和杜绝下药(Stamp Out Spiking)等专业机构的支持下,我们实施了一系列计划和倡议,为各相关方提供保护、支持和教育服务。  

  • 十年前启动的积极旁观者(Active Bystanders)计划已为超过50,000名学生提供培训,让学生们学会在确保安全的前提下采取干预措施,制止骚扰、霸凌、种族歧视和性行为不端行为。目前,这是高校同类项目中规模最大的项目,并将从2025 年9月起成为所有学生的必修项目。   

  • 学校酒吧和各类场所的工作人员都通过CPL在线学习了防止饮料下药(Drink Spiking)相关课程,并接受了有关酒吧求助密语Ask for Angela计划的培训。此外,我们还在所有学联活动场所免费提供饮料盖、饮料安全试纸和瓶塞。  

  • 校园内提供24小时安保服务,主要安保负责人员已接受有关学生身心健康和安全风险方面的专业培训。   

  • 我们将继续加大对学校教职员工以及学联工作人员的培训,预计在2025年春季学期结束前,另有300名员工将接受专业机构杜绝下药(Stamp Out Spiking)提供的全新培训课程。  

  • 英国各大高校都认识到性暴力对学生以及各相关方所造成的毁灭性影响,且都在采取行动提高意识、预防发生和解决其带来的问题。我们正与其他高校、政府部门、慈善机构和警方等合作伙伴以及我们的学生积极合作,共同解决这些问题。   

  • 我们还与伦敦“卡姆顿区安全合作”(Camden Safety Partnerships)等本地利益相关方合作,推出了针对本区的安全措施,尤其着重保护女性安全的措施。 

 

Traditional Chinese Version UCL聲明:繁体中文版

倫敦大學學院(UCL)關於Zhenhao Zou被刑事定罪的聲明

曾就讀於本校的Zhenhao Zou因干犯多項強姦罪以及其他嚴重罪行而獲定罪,我們特此發表聲明,並為我們的所有持份者提供支持。 

警告:本文涉及性侵害相關內容。 

倫敦大學學院(UCL)校長兼教務長施邁克博士(Dr Michael Spence)表示:  

我們對這些嚴重性侵害罪行感到憤慨。我們的心與倖存者同在,並向挺身而出舉報這些罪行並在審判中作證的勇敢女性致敬。  

社會上性騷擾、性暴力和性虐待現象的普遍存在令人極為擔憂,對受害者、他們的家庭和各持份者造成了巨大傷害。這宗案件尤其令人感到不安和痛心,因此我們的工作重點是透過各項服務為我們的學生、校友和教職員工提供支持,包括24 小時保密支援熱線以及由心理健康專業人士(包括受過專業培訓的諮詢師和心理學家)提供的全天候諮詢服務。我們還與「強姦危機 」(Rape Crisis)等專業機構合作以提供支持。我們希望為所有在此案件中受到直接或間接影響的UCL相關人員提供支援。  

我們在案件的整個調查過程中一直配合倫敦大都會警察局的調查工作,我們希望對警方和皇家檢察院表示感謝,是他們確保了這些令人髮指的罪行獲成功起訴。警方已經正式發出呼籲,我們鼓勵任何知情人士,在自願的情況下透過警方的網頁mailto:、電郵survivors@met.police.uk或致電101聯絡警方。  

除此之外,受影響的UCL各持份者可透過網上舉報平台向我們進行舉報,無論身處校內抑或校外,都能獲得學校犯罪預防與個人安全團隊(Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Advice)的支援。如果他們願意,我們也會支持我們的持份者成員向警方報告自己的受害事件。 

為持份者提供的支援 

保護受性暴力事件影響的學生、校友和教職員工的安全和身心健康一直是我們的首要任務。我們不斷檢視、加強並改善我們為各持份者提供的支援服務、相關教育及防範措施。    

我們投入巨大資源建立專業團隊,旨在為學生、校友和教職員工提供專業支持: 

我們的學生支援團隊由300多名專業人員組成,他們都接受過處理包括性暴力等敏感問題的專業培訓。團隊致力於為學生提供保密、無偏見的交流空間,讓學生能夠安心討論他們的問題和擔憂,無論這些事情發生在校內抑或校外。  

我們還與倫敦「卡姆頓區安全合作」(Camden Safety Partnerships)等本地持份者合作,推出針對本區的安全措施,尤其著重保護女性安全的措施。  

英國各間大學都認識到性暴力對學生以及各持份者所造成的毀滅性影響,且都在採取行動提高意識、預防發生和解決其帶來的問題。我們正與其他高等教育院校、政府部門、慈善機構和警方等合作夥伴以及我們的學生積極合作,共同解決這些問題。   

我們將繼續加大對大學教職員工以及學聯工作人員的培訓,預計在2025年春季學期結束前,另有300名員工將接受專業機構杜絕下藥(Stamp Out Spiking)提供的全新培訓課程。  

校園內提供24小時安保服務,主要安保負責人員已接受有關學生身心健康和安全風險方面的專業培訓。   

學校酒吧和各類場所的工作人員都透過CPL於線上學習了防止飲料下藥(Drink Spiking)相關課程,並接受了有關酒吧求助密語Ask for Angela計劃的培訓。除此之外,我們還在所有學聯活動場所免費提供杯蓋、飲品安全試紙及酒塞。  

十年前啟動的積極旁觀者(Active Bystanders)計劃已為超過50,000名學生提供培訓,讓學生們學會在確保安全的前提下採取干預措施,制止騷擾、霸凌、種族歧視和性行為不端行為。目前,這是高等教育院校同類項目中規模最大的項目,並將從2025 年9月起成為所有學生的必修科目。   

打擊性暴力的措施  

提高意識是預防性暴力事件的關鍵,我們的學生和教職員工在這方面發揮至關重要的作用。這也推動我們不斷開展一系列預防性教育和培訓項目:  

我們一直致力於預防和解決性暴力問題。在強姦危機(Rape Crisis)、倖存者網絡(Survivors Network)和杜絕下藥(Stamp Out Spiking)等專業機構的支持下,我們實施了一系列計劃和倡議,為各持份者提供保護、支援和教育服務。  

遭受性暴力事件影響的教職員工可以透過員工援助計劃(EAP),在保護私隱的情況下,獲得免費的心理健康支援服務。 

所有 UCL 校友均可聯絡 UCL 校友福祉服務,在保護私隱的情況下,獲得免費的多語種24小時心理健康支援服務。除此之外,我們還提供身心健康數字平台和應用程式,以及與心理健康專家進行面對面或線上交流的機會。  

我們提供專業諮詢師和心理學家的諮詢服務,以及轉介至「強姦危機」(Rape Crisis) 等專業機構的服務。   

兩年多前,UCL成為首批成立獨立性暴力顧問團隊的大學之一,以期為各持份者提供支援。目前,我們正在拓展團隊規模,其中專門負責處理各類學生舉報的團隊將擴大三分之一以上。  

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Media contact

Henry Killworth 

Mob: 07881 833274 e: h.killworth@ucl.ac.uk