Witnessing any kind of hate crime or discrimination, even if it isn’t directed at you, can be extremely stressful and emotionally distressing.
The University is here to support you and takes these incidents very seriously. Support is available for you and your wellbeing, and we will work with you around options if you would like to make a report about what you witnessed.
The first priority is the safety and wellbeing of you and the person who was targeted.
If you know the person who was the target of the hate crime or discrimination, please do encourage them to look at our support article on ‘I think I have experienced a hate crime or discrimination’.
If the victim is a friend of yours and wants to talk to you about what happened, just taking the time to listen to them and talk about what has happened can help. It can be difficult to know what to say, but usually what people need and want is to feel heard. If you have concerns about their wellbeing and do not think they will reach out for support on their own, you can submit a Wellbeing Access Form on their behalf. It’s most helpful to the Wellbeing team if they know that your friend is aware you’ve made this referral for them, but not essential.
Immediate help
- Are you or someone else in immediate danger? If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured call 999 (or 112 from a mobile).
- Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened, try and find somewhere you feel safe. If you are at the University you can call University Security on 0117 331 1223 or go to your nearest University building and ask someone to phone Security for you.
Support at University
- If you’d like to speak to someone who can support your wellbeing in a confidential space, please fill in a Wellbeing Access Request. This form will be reviewed by a member of the Wellbeing Access team, and they will make sure that you are put in touch with the best service for you. This might be a Residential Life Adviser if you’re in halls, a Wellbeing Adviser, or the Student Counselling Service. If you’d like to speak to someone with a specific identity such as gender or ethnicity, please write this in your Wellbeing Access Form.
- You can also fill in the ‘Request Contact from an Adviser’ form, or email srs-casework@bristol.ac.uk to talk with someone from the Student Resolution Service about making a formal report. You are not under any obligation to make a report, but we know that talking this through and getting information about the process can be really helpful for students.
- Submitting extenuating circumstances if your studies have been or are being affected. If you’re finding yourself unable to focus well or stop thinking about what’s happened, we would encourage you to submit extenuating circumstances.
- Spaces on Campus: The Global Lounge is a multi-cultural hub in the heart of campus which is both a lounge space to socialise and relax, and also a dynamic events space where there are lots of exciting and fun cultural activities. The Global Lounge is in Senate House, and can be a great place to go if you need to find a safe place on campus. The Multifaith Chaplaincy is also an inclusive space on campus for all students where there is both pastoral and spiritual support, as well as daily lunchtime social events where everyone is welcome.
Reporting
- You can report an incident anonymously using the University’s Report and Support system. We will not be able to take any direct action as a result of an anonymous report, there is more information about what we do with anonymous reports here.
- You can also submit a formal report to the Student Resolution Service. You can get in touch with the Student Resolution Service either by filling in the Request Contact from an Adviser form or by emailing srs-casework@bristol.ac.uk. There is more information about making a report in this article about ‘What happens if I speak to an adviser?’.
- Reporting to the police. You can report a crime by calling the non-emergency number, 101 or online. You can also talk to Sian Harris, who is the University’s dedicated Police Officer, and a part of her role is in answering questions and giving advice to students.