At UCL, we promote a positive environment in which people are treated fairly and with respect. 

Harassment and sexual misconduct are contrary to UCL’s ethos, values and mission and are never acceptable. No member of the UCL community is expected to tolerate such behaviour. Here, we bring together a comprehensive set of resources and detail UCL’s approach to preventing and tackling harassment and sexual misconduct.

This guidance focuses in particular on incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct affecting students.

1.    Support pathways (advice and support)
2.    Reporting tools
3.    Data and data use
4.    Investigations
5.    Training and guidance
6.    Personal Relationship
7.    Freedom of Speech (including Non-Disclosure Agreements)
8.    Feedback
9.    Policies and procedures

IMMEDIATE DANGER

If you are in any immediate danger of harassment and/or sexual misconduct:

  • On campus, call Security on +44 (0)20 7679 2222, (222 from an internal phone) or use the SafeZone app (press the blue button for Security).
  • Off campus, call 999. 

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Support pathways

UCL offers support to students affected by harassment and/or sexual misconduct, and to the staff who support them. Our support is directed in different ways, depending on the issue. In this section, we set out the support pathways available to you, including when this involves staff members. 

Key teams involved in the support pathways: 

  • Student and Registry Services (including Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and Student Casework)
  • Human Resources
  • Estates, (including Crime Prevention and Personal Safety, and Security).
  • Students’ Union UCL.

Advice and support for students

It can be difficult to know which actions to take following an incident/s. Please remember that this is not your fault, and you are not alone. 

We understand how difficult it can be to disclose an incident of harassment and/or sexual misconduct, and it may take a long time before you are able to seek support. There is no time limit on accessing support, either from UCL or from external services.

Harassment can take a broad range of forms. The details set out below are designed to support you in understanding harassment and/or sexual misconduct, and accessing support, if this is what you choose to do. You can access support at any time:

  • via askUCL (our online enquiries and support platform),
  • via our consolidated phone line,
  • via the dedicated email addresses listed below,
  • or in person at our Bloomsbury and UCL East campuses. 

You can access confidential support from Student Support and Wellbeing Services by booking an appointment through askUCL.  

After reviewing the information submitted via the appointment form, the team will determine whether a referral to UCL's specialist services is appropriate. If so, they will contact you to discuss your circumstances and explore the available support options. Your caseworker will discuss wellbeing support, as well as any potential academic adjustments or additional assistance you may require. Your caseworker will ask whether you would like the incident/s to be investigated by the University (if it involves another UCL student) or the police, and can support you to access these processes. Please note that deciding whether to proceed with a formal report is entirely your choice.

The Specialist Advice and Casework team includes housing specialists who can support students experiencing domestic abuse and seeking guidance on emergency or alternative accommodation options. Within the Student Casework Team, there are also Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) who can provide emotional and practical support, information and guidance to you irrespective of whether you are reporting or considering reporting incidents of sexual misconduct to UCL. You can email the team directly at casework.isva@ucl.ac.uk to arrange a confidential appointment. 

Further information on what to do in the case of sexual misconduct is available from Student Support and Wellbeing Services – visit Sexual Harassment, misconduct and violence.

Student Support and Wellbeing Services can also offer up to six sessions of free counselling via therapy, which can be booked via their website. Appointments are confidential and available to all students. You can request that your adviser is male, female or non-binary, and that they speak your preferred language (this may involve a slightly longer waiting time).

An adviser from our Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Team can offer advice and also support you if you wish to report to the police. The team can additionally provide you with tailored safety advice and planning as well as undertaking risk assessment to support you in both physical and digital settings. You can arrange an appointment by emailing them directly, or your Student Support and Wellbeing Services Advisor can help you to meet them: crimeprevention-personalsafety@ucl.ac.uk. 

Students’ Union UCL offers a free, confidential and independent Advice Service. The team can advise on a range of issues, including extenuating circumstances, academic regulations, housing, employment rights as well as money and budgeting.  Additionally, the team can support with students who are involved in UCL's complaints and disciplinaries processes. The team also have dedicated Sexual Violence Liaison Officers who can provide support for students who have experienced sexual violence and abuse.

The Students’ Union works to create a safe, respectful and inclusive environment both on and off campus, and will do everything to support students affected by harassment and sexual misconduct as well as other unacceptable and problematic behaviours. The Students' Union has a long established programme to train students to be active bystanders and equip them with the skills and confidence to challenge unacceptable behaviours.

Support pathways for staff

Staff who are supporting students can access support and advice through their HR Business Partner. Staff can also report concerns about harmful behaviours to their line manager.

The Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is a  confidential 24/7 staff support service available via telephone). You can speak to mental health experts for advice and support if you are supporting a student or dealing with a difficult student case.

Staff across Student Support and Wellbeing Services, Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Advice, Student Casework, and Employee Relations (within HR) are trained to handle sensitive disclosures, including sexual violence, in a trauma-informed approach. Staff members can reach out to any of these teams to support their work with students.

Reporting tools

UCL offers the following tools to help students, staff and anyone, report an incident of harassment and/or sexual misconduct affecting UCL students. Our tools are available to both members of, and those external to, the UCL community.

In this section, we set out UCL’s approach to preventing and responding to harassment and sexual misconduct affecting students, including when this involves staff.

Key reporting tools

Report + Support is a tool specifically designed for reporting instances of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct. Reporting is a simple process and can be done in three ways;

  • a party can report anonymously (although limited action can be taken);
  • a party can report anonymously but opt in for ‘in platform’ messaging whereby they can be anonymously contacted. Here we can support you, although we are again limited in the action we can take unless the reporter identifies themselves.
  • A party can report and provide their contact details. In this instance, we can implement a range of support measures and discuss whether you wish to proceed with a formal report. 

You can contact the Casework team by emailing: casework@ucl.ac.uk 

The Student Casework team is responsible for managing the Student Disciplinary Code and Procedure. They can advise students and staff across UCL on the student casework policy and procedures of UCL.

If you wish to make a report about a student's behaviour you can contact the team directly.  Information can also be found on the Appeals and Complaints webpage.

You can contact the ISVA team by emailing: casework.isva@ucl.ac.uk

There are a team of Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) based in the Casework Team who can provide emotional and practical support, information, and guidance to any UCL student reporting or considering reporting incidents of Sexual Misconduct to the University. 

ISVAs work in a trauma-informed way, based on the principles of choice, collaboration, empowerment, trust, and safety.  ISVAs can: 

  • Explain the University’s policies and procedures relating to sexual misconduct
  • Support reporting students to understand their rights and reporting options and to make informed choices, following a report of sexual violence and misconduct  
  • Provide support throughout all stages of the casework disciplinary process, including accompanying students to panel hearings and outcome meetings
  • Act as a single point of contact when required, with regards to the casework process and when supporting students with wider areas of impact such as: health, wellbeing, safety, housing, studies etc
  • Connect reporting students to additional support services, internally and/or externally to UCL, in support of their wider welfare and wellbeing needs.  
  • Support students wishing to report to the police to understand their options and to access wider specialist support through the criminal justice process
  • Empower students to make informed decisions by providing information, support, and general guidance, without giving legal advice or telling someone what they should do

 

You can request a meeting with the Student Support and Wellbeing Services team

  • via askUCL (current students only);
  • in person on the first floor of the student centre (Bloomsbury) and UCL East (Marshgate),
  • or via our consolidated phone line. 

You can submit a Student of Concern report. 

Student Support and Wellbeing Services are responsible for the operation of UCL’s Student of Concern process. This is an institutional device which allows staff, students, and third parties to inform UCL of a concern relating to a student. A dedicated team monitor reports and respond within 48 hours. 

You can contact HR via the HR Business Partnership Team, or via Workplace Health on: wh.wellbeing@ucl.ac.uk 

UCL Human Resources is the central HR Division which is responsible for the provision of people services to the whole university. The HR Business Partnership Team can support staff in instances of directing a report of harassment and sexual misconduct involving a student, as well as responding to reports from a student concerning a member of staff.

Data and data use

Key policies

  • UCL’s Data Protection Policy
  • UCL’s Privacy Notices

UCL has a clear set of Data Protection Policies and Privacy Notices which cover both staff and students, as well as third parties.

At UCL, we are committed to leveraging comprehensive data to create a safe and inclusive environment for all staff and students. We maintain a single authoritative online policy that is publicly accessible, versioned for transparency, and supports staff and students with clear reporting pathways, confidentiality, and tailored support.

We collect and review anonymised data on prevalence, reporting rates, investigation outcomes, and support interventions, enabling us to evaluate and improve preventive measures, training programmes, and policy efficacy. 
We also address abuse of power and intimate relationships in the Personal Relationships policy and strictly prohibit non-disclosure provisions that could prevent individuals from speaking up on matters of harassment and/or sexual misconduct. Through the thoughtful, ethical use of data, consistent with data protection and fair-use principle, UCL strives to foster accountability, prevent misconduct, and support the wellbeing of our entire community.

Investigations and disciplinary processes

At UCL, we are committed to investigating student reports of harassment and/or sexual misconduct with fairness, transparency, and compassion. Our approach reflects trauma-informed best practice.

Key teams involved in supporting investigations:

Student Casework are the team responsible for investigating allegations of harassment and/or sexual misconduct against students. If, following an investigation by the Casework Team, there is found to be a case to answer, a student may be disciplined in accordance with UCL’s Student Disciplinary Code and Procedure. 

Human Resources coordinate investigations into allegations of harassment and/or sexual misconduct against staff. If, following an investigation, there is found to be a case to answer, a member of staff may be disciplined in accordance with UCL’s Staff Disciplinary Procedure. 

Support is provided to both the student making the report and the responding party, as well as anybody else involved in an investigation. Students with additional needs or requiring reasonable adjustments to help them engage with the investigative process can be supported by Student Support Officers within the Casework Team. 

All staff members investigating cases and/or involved in disciplinary panels are of appropriate seniority and have received specialist training in dealing with cases of harassment and/or sexual misconduct. Staff members involved in investigating cases of harassment and/or sexual misconduct also receive support through the University’s Workplace Health team.

Students are signposted to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator if they are not satisfied at the conclusion of UCL’s internal processes. 

Training and guidance

UCL provides comprehensive training and guidance to students and staff to build a shared understanding of harassment, bullying and sexual misconduct, and to ensure our community is equipped to respond safely, compassionately, and in line with university policy and legal responsibilities.

For students

Behavioural expectations are set out in the Student Code of Conduct and Student Disciplinary Code. All students are expected to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct which highlights the University’s approach to harassment and/or sexual misconduct. 

A core part of every student’s induction is our Active Bystander Programme, delivered by the Students’ Union. The programme provides students with the skills and knowledge to recognise and challenge problematic behaviours, such as bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct both on- and off-campus. We recognise that to prevent these behaviours, we must address them as a community in which each member can do their part to challenge bullying, harassment and sexual violence.

Residential students are inducted to life in their accommodation at the start of the academic year where expectations regarding conduct and behaviour are communicated. In addition, residential students are supported and guided by a team of Student Residence Advisers and Residential Hall Wardens. 

For staff

New staff and existing staff are required to complete and update their mandatory training on a regular basis. This includes dedicated training on the prevention measures and support framework in relation to harassment and sexual misconduct affecting students or staff.

Personal Relationships

UCL is committed to protecting its staff and students and preventing circumstances where conflicts and power imbalances may arise from personal relationships amongst the UCL community. We set out our approach to personal relationships between staff and students in our Personal Relationships Policy. 

Freedom of Speech (including Non-Disclosure Agreements)

Key policies 

At UCL, we are firmly committed to upholding freedom of speech within the law. 

UCL’s Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech sets out our institutional approach to freedom of speech and academic freedom. The Prevention of Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct policy also explains the strong protection that is afforded to discussions that take place in the academic context.    

UCL has not used Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) in settlement agreements with individuals who have complained of sexual misconduct, harassment or bullying since 2019. Our commitment to not using NDAs in these circumstances has now been formalised in our Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech. 

Feedback

UCL is committed to continuously improving its response to harassment and sexual misconduct by actively listening to the voices of those who use our services and systems. Feedback helps us ensure our policies are supportive, our processes are fair and trauma-informed, and that our community feels heard and protected.

Feedback After a Report or Disclosure

Students and staff who access support or engage with UCL’s support pathways are invited to share confidential feedback via follow-up surveys or one-to-one feedback conversations. Feedback is anonymised and reviewed by service leads to inform staff development, improve communications, and shape future service delivery.

Engaging Victim-Survivors and Lived Experience

UCL is working to embed lived experience in the design and evaluation of our services. Where appropriate, we invite students and staff with lived experience of reporting or disclosure to take part in focus groups on improving policy or support pathways, co-design of awareness campaigns or training resources, and consultation exercises as services develop. Participation is always optional, and we provide clear boundaries to protect participant wellbeing and confidentiality.

Closing the Feedback Loop

We take care to communicate back to students and staff how their input has made a difference, for example in the enhancement of service offers. 

Quality Assurance and External Review

Feedback forms part of a wider quality assurance framework. UCL reviews trends in satisfaction and trust in line with OfS expectations, and works with external bodies to benchmark and review our approach.

Policies and procedures

Our policies and procedures promote a safe, harmonious and healthy environment for our community. This includes a comprehensive policy framework to prevent and address harassment and sexual misconduct. In this section, we set out the range of policies and procedures which govern the University affecting students, including when this involves staff. 

Key policies and procedures

This page was last updated on 26/08/25