Student safety, protection and support

The team is made up of:

• Student Liaison Officers (SLOs): trained to support students affected by harassment, sexual misconduct, or sexual violence. 
• Mental Health Advisors: experienced in helping students manage distress, wellbeing, and mental health concerns. 

• Confidential, one-to-one support (non-emergency) 
• Clear advice on your options, including reporting routes 
• Practical help to stay on track with your studies 
• Support with risk management if there are ongoing safety concerns 
• Supporting statements for extenuating circumstances (so you don’t have to explain your experience more than once) 
• Referrals to external services (e.g. counselling, Independent Sexual Violence Advisers, police support officers) 
• Liaison with your academic department, placements, or accommodation with your consent 

If you have been named in a case, you’ll be offered separate and fair support from a different SLO. 

If you’re not sure about reporting, you can have a confidential conversation with a Student Liaison Officer or Mental Health Advisor. They’ll listen, explain your options, and help you decide what feels right.

Reach out to CareandConcern@mdx.ac.uk to have a chat.

Use our Report it to Stop it form. You can choose to: 

• Report anonymously – you don’t give your name or contact details. We can’t follow up with you directly, but your report helps us monitor issues and improve safety. 
• Report with your contact details – a trained staff member will get in touch, explain your options, and support you in whatever you decide. You can still choose not to proceed with a formal complaint. 

Remember: you don’t have to make a formal report to access support. Help is available whenever you’re ready.

• Sexual Misconduct, Bullying and Harassment policy – details how we prevent, address and respond to incidents of sexual misconduct, bullying, and harassment.
• Safeguarding, Safety and Support policy – outlines our commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of all members of our university community, and how we meet our statutory duties to protect children, young adults and adults at risk.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion policies – demonstrates our commitment to creating an environment which ensures equality of opportunity for all.
• Student Conduct and Discipline Rules – outlines expected behaviours and the process for addressing student misconduct.
• Student Complaints and Grievance Procedure – ensures we appropriately address concerns about staff behaviour or university practice.
• Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech – provides guidelines on how freedom of speech should be exercised and protected within university settings.

All Middlesex University staff receive dedicated training on how to respond to students who may be in distress or need help. This includes:

• Recognising signs that a student may need support
• Responding in a supportive, non-judgemental way
• Knowing how and when to help students access support from the University’s Care and Concern process

This training is called Student Safety and Support Training, and it’s tailored specifically to how Middlesex supports student wellbeing. It’s delivered regularly throughout the year and is part of our ongoing commitment to creating a responsive, student-focused culture.

Some students may choose to speak to one of our trained Student Liaison Officers (SLOs). These are specialist staff members who provide direct support to students who have experienced harassment or sexual violence.

Our SLOs have completed the nationally recognised Sexual Violence Liaison Officer Development Programme, delivered by LimeCulture, a leading UK provider of training in this area. This means they are specially trained to:

• Listen and respond to disclosures with empathy and care
• Explain your options clearly, whether you're seeking support, safety planning, or thinking about making a report
• Help you access internal and external support services
• Respect your choices and support you to make informed decisions

Whether you choose to report or not, SLOs are here to ensure you feel supported and empowered throughout.

We understand that sharing an experience of harassment or sexual misconduct can be difficult. If you choose to tell us something, we will treat your information with sensitivity, respect, and fairness.

How we handle your information

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Any information you share with us will only be passed on when it's necessary - and usually, only with your permission. If there’s ever a reason we need to share information without your consent, we will always try to let you know first.

When we might need to share information

There are some situations where we may need to share limited information with others in the University, or with external services. This might happen when:

• A formal report is being investigated, and information is needed to follow proper procedures
• You or another student need support or adjustments
• There are concerns about someone’s safety or wellbeing
• We are required to by law or as part of our duty of care

We will always aim to balance your right to privacy with our responsibilities to keep everyone safe.

How your data is stored

All personal information is handled in line with UK data protection laws. Your data is stored securely and only for as long as necessary, in accordance with the University’s Record Retention Schedule. You can find further privacy info on the policies webpage.

This glossary explains key terms used across our webpages on harassment, sexual misconduct, and support. Understanding these can help you know your rights, identify unacceptable behaviour, and make informed decisions about what to do next.

• Abuse of power: When someone uses their position of authority or influence to take advantage of another person. This could happen in a staff–student or supervisor–supervisee relationship, or even in peer relationships where one person has more control or status. Abuse of power can be emotional, academic, sexual, or professional.
• Consent: Consent means agreeing to something freely, clearly, and willingly. For sexual activity, consent must be given by someone with the capacity to do so (e.g., not under pressure, not drunk or high). Consent can be withdrawn at any time. Without consent, sexual activity is unlawful.
• Discrimination: Treating someone unfairly because of who they are — for example, their race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or age. Discrimination can be direct (obvious unfair treatment) or indirect (a rule or policy that disadvantages someone unfairly).
• Harassment: Unwanted behaviour that makes someone feel distressed, intimidated, degraded, or offended. It can be verbal, non-verbal, physical, or written. Harassment can be based on personal characteristics (e.g. gender, race, disability) or be of a sexual nature.
• Intimate relationship: A close personal relationship that may include emotional connection, physical closeness, or sexual activity. This can be between romantic partners, or people casually dating or “seeing” each other. In a university context, these relationships can raise concerns if there’s a power imbalance.
• Professional relationship: A relationship where one person has a responsibility or duty towards another — for example, a staff member supporting a student. Professional boundaries must be maintained to ensure trust, fairness, and safety. Entering an intimate relationship in this context can be a conflict of interest.
• Relevant relationship: At Middlesex, a relevant relationship includes any situation where one person holds influence, authority, or power over another — for example, a tutor and a student, a line manager and a team member, or a mentor and mentee. These relationships require careful boundaries to avoid abuse of power.
• Sexual harassment: Unwanted sexual behaviour that makes someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or degraded. This could include sexual comments, touching, gestures, jokes, messages, or sharing sexual images without consent. It doesn’t have to be repeated — one incident can be enough.
• Sexual misconduct: Any unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature that violates someone’s dignity, autonomy, or safety. It includes sexual harassment, sexual assault, stalking, coercion, and sharing private images without permission. It can happen in person or online.
• Sexual assault: Any sexual act done to someone without their consent. This includes unwanted sexual touching, groping, or rape. Sexual assault is a criminal offence.
• Rape: Rape is when someone intentionally penetrates another person’s vagina, anus, or mouth with their penis without their consent. Under UK law, rape can only be committed by someone with a penis, but other serious forms of non-consensual sexual activity are also criminal offences (e.g. assault by penetration). Rape is a serious crime and can have long-lasting emotional and psychological effects.
• Stalking: Unwanted, repeated behaviour that causes someone to feel scared or harassed. It can include following, watching, messaging, or monitoring someone’s activities. Stalking can happen in person or online and is a form of harassment.
• Victim/Survivor: Both terms may be used by people who have experienced harassment, sexual violence, or misconduct. “Victim” is often used in legal or formal contexts, while “survivor” is preferred by some as it reflects strength and recovery. At Middlesex, we will use the term that feels right for you.