Support a student who has been bullied or harassed

Listen and be supportive 

Listen with empathy and compassion. Reassure the student that there is support available and that you can help them access it. 

Students do not have to report the incident to the police or via the Student Discipline process. It is their choice; they can access support from the University without making such a report. 

Complete the University reporting form 

Advise the student that you will use the University reporting form to record their report.  

Advice for completing the form

If the student has given permission for their name to be shared, enter their details on the reporting form. Proactive contact will then be made by a member of staff from Safeguarding Team to ensure that the student receives appropriate support and understands their reporting options. As above, there is no obligation to make a further report to Police Scotland/Student Discipline if the student does not wish to do so. 

If you are a member of staff, make this clear on the form and include that you have met with the reporting person and have heard their initial report. 

Ensure you note only what the reporting person tells you. Do not change or edit their words. 

Submissions made using the reporting tool are treated confidentially and will not be shared without consent. 

Anonymous submissions

If the student does not give permission for their name to be shared, the form must still be submitted, and the report anonymised. 

No action can be taken by Safeguarding when an anonymous report is submitted. 

However, it is important that incidents are recorded to gain an accurate picture around the numbers of incidents and to inform ongoing work. (See below for support information which should be provided to the student as they will not receive contact from Safeguarding).  

Provide details of available support 

The student can still access internal and external support services independently. Learn more about support for students.

Further information on reporting

For students, internal complaints are investigated through Student Discipline. 

Useful contacts

• Campus Security
• Safeguarding