Search
Home Welfare & Wellbeing Student Health & Wellbeing

Sexual assault and harassment

St Catharine’s takes our commitment to keeping students safe extremely seriously.

If you would like to talk to someone about an experience of sexual harassment or assault, you can access support within the College via your tutor or the Health and Wellbeing team. We can be a listening ear to provide a non-judgemental space for you to talk about your experience, outline what your options are for further support and help you access specialist support within the University and in Cambridge. All conversations are confidential unless a member of staff is concerned about your safety or someone else’s safety.

If it is out of hours and you would like to speak to someone in College because you are feeling unsafe or distressed, please contact the Porter’s Lodge who can contact the Duty Tutor or Senior Tutor.

The Head of Wellbeing and the Chaplain are the St Catharine’s Discrimination and Harassment Contact. This role provides confidential support to students who may be experiencing any form of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct.  

The University has a Harassment and Violence Support Service. You can self-refer to the team via the support request form or get in touch via email hvss@studentsupport.cam.ac.uk. The SHVA can provide you with emotional support to help manage the impact of sexual violence as well as practical support and information regarding your options if you wish to report the assault or assessment. It will be your choice to do so and any member of staff you speak to concerning this will support you to make a decision you are comfortable with. Regardless of whether you decide to report the assault or not, you will still be able to access support from the SHVA.  

Reporting harassment and sexual assault

Whether or not you report an incident, and how you report, is your choice, but you may need some support working out what you want to do - the Catz Health and Wellbeing Team or the University Sexual Harassment and Violence Advisers can help you think through your options. Reporting can be anonymous (so you don't give your name) or non-anonymous (where you give your name). There are reporting pathways within College, in the University, and via the Police. 

  • In College: 
    You can make an anonymous report of an incident (with an option to include your CRSid if you would like to be contacted for a follow up)
  • In the University:
    You can look at the options for reporting any kind of misconduct within the University, including sexual assault.
    You can go straight to the main Report and Support page, where you can report an incident online, either anonymously or non-anonymously. 
  • The Police:
    If you may still be in danger, don't hesitate to call 999. If you are not in immediate danger, you can call 101 or report a crime online.
    If you would like your experience to be used anonymously by the police for criminal intelligence purposes, but don't want to make a report, you can do this via the Harassment and Violence Support Service. 

Tips for speaking to someone about Sexual Assault or Harassment

  • You don’t need to be 100% sure it was assault or harassment; speaking to the SHVA can help explore this
  • There is no time frame for the event(s). Whether it happened years ago or hours ago, you can still seek support and advice.
  • People are encouraged to seek support regarding harassment and sexual assault regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.
  • If someone is coming to you for support and you then need advice and support for yourself, please speak with a member of the Health and Wellbeing Team. 

What is sexual assault?

Below is a non-exhaustive list of types of behaviour that would constitute rape, sexual assault and harassment.

  • making offensive comments about someone’s personal traits or assumed personal traits  
  • controlling or coercive behaviour  
  • physical misconduct (hitting, pushing, spitting, pulling hair etc)  
  • repeatedly following another person  
  • inappropriately showing sexual organs to someone  
  • inappropriate touching through clothes without consent  
  • kissing without consent  
  • sharing private sexual materials of another person without consent  
  • attempting to engage in sexual intercourse or a sexual act without consent  
  • engaging in sexual intercourse or a sexual act without consent 

The College has a policy about the sorts of behaviours that are unacceptable, and how we respond. You can read the policy, or talk through what this means for you with your tutor, a member of the Health and Wellbeing Team. 

Support in Cambridge

The following resources open to people living in Cambridge who have experienced sexual violence.

Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre

Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre is open to support women who have experienced rape, childhood sexual assault or any other form of sexual violence.

The Elms Sexual Assault Referral Centre

The Elms, Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) offers a range of support services to anyone aged 13 or over, living within the Cambridgeshire area who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence, either recently or in the past. Anyone can refer themselves without having to involve the Police, it is not necessary for a report to have been made in order to get support from The Elms. 
Tel: 0800 193 5434 (9am-5pm)
Out of Hours Help Line: 0800 193 5434
Email Address: theelms.sarc@nhs.net
Physical address:  ​The Elms SARC, Hinchingbrooke Hospital, Hinchingbrooke Park, Huntingdon Cambridgeshire, PE29 6NT
Information leaflet (download)

The offer the following services:

  • Talk to someone about your experience and get emotional support
  • Get advice about what services are available to you
  • Be referred to sexual health services including emergency contraception
  • Report someone anonymously to the police
  • If something has happened in the last 7 days you can have the option of having an examination which can help to preserve any evidence.
  • This service is completely confidential and you do not have to give any personal information in order to get help.
  • ​If you would like to speak to someone we are available 24/7 on 0800 193 5434 

Cambridge Women’s Aid

Cambridge Women’s Aid offers free and confidential advice to women who want to regain control of their lives. In the first instance, to speak to a worker or to make an appointment to meet in Cambridge you can call their Community Support team on 01223 361214.

ManKind Initiative

ManKind Initiative is a charity who supports men experiencing domestic abuse. They have a helpline which is open weekdays 10am-4pm  (01823 334244) and their website has lots of information for men who may be experiencing domestic abuse.

Men’s Advice Line

Men’s Advice Line is a confidential helpline for male victims of domestic abuse and those supporting them. They offer advice and emotional support to men who experiences abuse and signpost to other vital services that help keep them and their children safe.

Galop 

Tel. 0800 999 5428 (Mon - Weds: 10am - 5pm; Thurs: 10am - 10pm; Fri: 1pm - 10pm; Sun: 12pm - 4pm (Tues 1pm - 5pm is trans specific service)) / Email help@galop.org.uk
The leading LGBT anti-violence and abuse charity. Galop provide’s advice, support and advocacy to people who have experienced a hate crime, domestic abuse and sexual violence. All of its services are confidential and free.