{"id":449,"date":"2020-03-31T16:24:27","date_gmt":"2020-03-31T15:24:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/?p=449"},"modified":"2020-04-01T16:29:35","modified_gmt":"2020-04-01T15:29:35","slug":"help-and-support-for-students-experiencing-harassment-assault-or-discrimination-during-social-distancing-and-social-isolation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/help-and-support-for-students-experiencing-harassment-assault-or-discrimination-during-social-distancing-and-social-isolation\/","title":{"rendered":"Help and support for students experiencing harassment, assault or discrimination during social distancing and social isolation."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-huge-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A focus on domestic violence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During Coronavirus\n(Covid19) UWE continues to support students to create an inclusive campus where\ndiversity is celebrated, antisocial attitudes and behaviours are challenged and\nany type of harassment, assault and discrimination aren&#8217;t acceptable. UWE\ndeveloped its <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.uwe.ac.uk\/students\/healthandwellbeing\/speakup.aspx\">SpeakUp<\/a>\ncampaign to enable people to SpeakUp if they see or hear something that\u2019s not\nright. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This\nblog focuses on domestic abuse which <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/home-news\/coronavirus-isolation-domestic-abuse-help-charities-a9407716.html\">could be heightened<\/a> during\na period of social distancing and social isolation. There is a growing body of\nresearch regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.universitiesuk.ac.uk\/policy-and-analysis\/reports\/Documents\/2016\/changing-the-culture.pdf\">gender based\nviolence<\/a> in UK universities. Though studies\nhave not tended to specifically focus on domestic abuse at UK universities,\nthere are indicators that it occurs amongst students, e.g.,&nbsp;the Office of National Statistics (ONS) indicate that young\nadults aged 18 to 24 tend to be at higher risk for domestic abuse\n<a href=\"https:\/\/policystudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk\/2019\/05\/03\/what-is-to-be-done-about-sexual-and-domestic-abuse-at-uk-universities\/\">(Gangoli, 2019).<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www1.uwe.ac.uk\/students\/healthandwellbeing\/speakup\/domesticabuse.aspx\">Domestic abuse<\/a> is\ndefined by UWE\u2019s SpeakUp campaign as \u2018Controlling someone\u2019s behaviour, choices\nand freedom\u2019 which \u2018can take many forms including physical, sexual,\npsychological, financial, verbal or emotional abuse.\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.refuge.org.uk\/our-work\/forms-of-violence-and-abuse\/domestic-violence\/forms-of-domestic-abuse\/\">Refuge<\/a> states\n\u2018Abuse is a choice a perpetrator makes and isolation is\nalready used by many perpetrators as a tool of control.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Some facts about domestic abuse are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>An estimated 1.3 million women have experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2018, In England and Wales. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/peoplepopulationandcommunity\/crimeandjustice\/bulletins\/domesticabuseinenglandandwales\/yearendingmarch2018\">ONS<\/a>). Two women a week are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales alone. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.refuge.org.uk\/our-work\/forms-of-violence-and-abuse\/domestic-violence\/domestic-violence-the-facts\/\">(Refuge)<\/a>.<\/li><li>While domestic abuse is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women,  men can be abused too, in both heterosexual and gay relationships.  <\/li><li>One in four lesbian\/bi\u00a0women have experienced domestic abuse. Almost half of all gay\/bi\u00a0men have experienced at least one incident of domestic abuse. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stonewall.org.uk\/help-advice\/criminal-law\/domestic-violence\">(Stonewall).<\/a><\/li><li>Stress, mental illness and loss of control are not excuses for domestic abuse. The proportion of abusers with mental health problems is no higher than in society as a whole. The majority of people who suffer from stress, anger and mental health issues do not domestically abuse, and abusers are often very controlled in their behaviour, choosing who, when and how to abuse.<\/li><li>For too long people have thought what goes on in the home is private, and not their problem. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cps.gov.uk\/domestic-abuse\">Domestic abuse is a crime<\/a>. It is against the law. We all have a responsibility to speak out against it. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Why is this particularly important to think about now?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Domestic abuse often relies on isolating people in a deliberate attempt to weaken connectivity with those that can support them such as family, friends, and neighbours. This can make it really difficult to get the support needed. It can lead to the person being abused not recognising the behaviour as abusive. Due to recent guidance regarding social distancing and social isolation, victims of domestic abuse may become even more dependent on the person controlling them. Additionally, as resources are stretched and safe havens such as shelters close due to people becoming ill with coronavirus, the dangers for victims of domestic abuse increase. In houses and families where people are forced to spend increasing amounts of time together, incidences of domestic abuse could increase too as tensions and anxiety rise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How do you know if you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> Some signs of domestic abuse are listed here. This is not an exhaustive list and you do not need to be experiencing all of these, all of the time to be a victim: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Intentionally causing you any form of physical harm or pain<\/li><li>Preventing you from seeing family\/friends (at the moment this might include through skype\/whatsapp\/texting e.t.c.). Monitoring your movements,\u00a0checking up on you via your email, Facebook, Twitter or by looking at your text messages<\/li><li>Constant criticism\/put downs\/embarrassing you\/putting you in a bad light to others<\/li><li>Playing mind games with you, making you unsure of your judgment (gaslighting)<\/li><li>Telling you you\u2019re useless and couldn\u2019t cope without them<\/li><li>Controlling your money, telling you what to wear, who to see, where to go, what to think.<\/li><li>Pressure to have sex when you don\u2019t want to<\/li><li>Using anger\/intimidation\/violent language\/actions to make you\u00a0comply with demands<\/li><li>Being blamed for behaviour, e.g., you were \u201casking for it\u201d or \u201cmade me do it\u201d<\/li><li>Withholding or smothering with affection too quick, too soon, too much (love bombing). (Adapted from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.refuge.org.uk\/our-work\/forms-of-violence-and-abuse\/domestic-violence\/recognising-abuse\/\">Refuge<\/a> ).<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What can you do to support someone you think is a victim of domestic abuse or how can you get help yourself as a victim?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first thing to say here is, social distancing and social isolation procedures as set out by the government and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/coronavirus\">listed here<\/a> <strong>must<\/strong> be followed for your own and others\u2019 safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has clarified <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/uk\/home-news\/coronavirus-domestic-abuse-lockdown-priti-patel-a9432646.html\">guidance<\/a>, noting: \u2018domestic abuse victims are permitted\nto leave home to escape their partners or ask for help during the coronavirus\nlockdown\u2019. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">N.B. Please follow government guidance as it changes in response\nto coronavirus lockdown. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.refuge.org.uk\/get-help-now\/\">Refuge<\/a>  have advice and support which can be accessed through the hyperlinks. Some of their take away messages are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For victims<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Call 999 if in immediate danger<\/li><li>If you are unable to speak on the phone, you can use the \u2018Silent Solution\u2019 system. Press 999 and then 55 when you are connected and the operator will transfer the call to the relevant police force as an emergency.<\/li><li>Keep a diary\/document abuse (take care that a perpetrator cannot access these) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hestia.org\/brightsky\">Bright Sky<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/onrecord.tech\/\">On Record\u00a0<\/a> are apps that might be helpful<\/li><li>Keep an escape bag if you have a safe place to do so and think of alternative places you can safely escape to at this time following government advice on social distancing\/isolation<\/li><li>Try to keep your mobile charged and on you at all times. Agree on a code word with trusted friends or family so that they can call the police if you text or call them.\u00a0<\/li><li>Phone a helpline, e.g.: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.refuge.org.uk\/get-help-now\/phone-the-helpline\/\">Refuge<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.womensaid.org.uk\/information-support\/\">Women\u2019s Aid<\/a>\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensadvice.org.uk\/family\/gender-violence\/domestic-violence-and-abuse-organisations-which-give-information-and-advice\/\">CAB<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flows.org.uk\/support-for-women\/in-danger\">FLOWS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/mensadviceline.org.uk\/\">Men\u2019s Advice Line<\/a><\/li><li>Particularly in the Bristol area, <a href=\"https:\/\/nextlinkhousing.co.uk\/\">NextLink<\/a> provides specialist domestic abuse services for women and children in Bristol including dedicated Black and Minority Ethnic, South Asian and Somali services and a GP referral service<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-blue-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>For those wanting to help victims\/survivors:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many of these suggestions can be operated online presently, but you must be cautious as sometimes perpetrators will have control of a victim\u2019s phone\/computer\/social media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Call 999 if someone is in immediate\ndanger<\/li><li>Listen\/understand\/acknowledge\/affirm\/don\u2019t\nblame <\/li><li>Support to make own decisions. Do not\ntell someone to leave a relationship before they are ready, let them be in\ncontrol of decisions <\/li><li>Provide information for support\nservices\/help someone to seek support<\/li><li>Offer use of your own phone\/social\nmedia to seek support<\/li><li>Keep an emergency exit bag at your\naddress that can be passed to a known victim following social\ndistancing\/isolation measures<\/li><li>Look after your own self if you take\na disclosure, helplines can be for you too. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For students who are victims\/survivors of domestic abuse, here are some links to some useful articles targeted at students in particular:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/studentnewspaper.org\/domestic-abuse-is-happening-at-university-so-why-dont-we-talk-about-it\/\"><strong>Domestic abuse is happening at university. So why don\u2019t we talk about it?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/policystudies.blogs.bristol.ac.uk\/2019\/05\/03\/what-is-to-be-done-about-sexual-and-domestic-abuse-at-uk-universities\/\">What\nIs To Be Done About Sexual and Domestic Abuse at UK Universities?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-red-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>At UWE, support continues to be there if you need it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>You\ncan contact the University\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www1.uwe.ac.uk\/students\/healthandwellbeing\/wellbeingservice.aspx\">Wellbeing Service<\/a>&nbsp;to arrange emotional support on +44\n(0)117 32 86268.<\/li><li>You can report concerns about yourself or other\nUWE students 24\/7 via the UWE Bristol Serious Concerns Line:<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">+44 (0)7788 725507 (8:30-17:00 Monday-Thursday and\n8:30-16:30 Friday)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">+44 (0)7814 791212&nbsp;(out of hours).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Report via the <a href=\"https:\/\/reportandsupport.uwe.ac.uk\/\">Report and Support tool<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">(Report and Support\nis not a system for emergencies)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Talk to an online counsellor anonymously&nbsp;via&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www1.uwe.ac.uk\/students\/healthandwellbeing\/wellbeingservice\/talktosomeoneonline.aspx\">Kooth Student<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color has-medium-font-size has-bright-red-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>In case of emergency<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>If there is an immediate risk of serious harm to you or anyone else or a crime has taken place call 999.<\/li><li>if you\u2019re on campus, dial 9999 from a telephone connected to the University network to reach the campus control room.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Blog post by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/people.uwe.ac.uk\/Person\/Helen2Bovill\">Dr Helen Bovill<\/a> (UWE, Education and Childhood Researcher and Senior Lecturer) and <a href=\"https:\/\/people.uwe.ac.uk\/Person\/JessWinkler\">Jess Winkler<\/a> (UWE, Safeguarding Manager)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HelenBovill\">Dr Helen Bovill Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/HelenBovill\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A focus on domestic violence. During Coronavirus (Covid19) UWE continues to support students to create an inclusive campus where diversity is celebrated, antisocial attitudes and behaviours are challenged and any type of harassment, assault and discrimination aren&#8217;t acceptable. UWE developed its SpeakUp campaign to enable people to SpeakUp if they see or hear something that\u2019s &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/help-and-support-for-students-experiencing-harassment-assault-or-discrimination-during-social-distancing-and-social-isolation\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;Help and support for students experiencing harassment, assault or discrimination during social distancing and social isolation.&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-449","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-anti-sexual-violence","category-gender"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=449"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":488,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/449\/revisions\/488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=449"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=449"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.uwe.ac.uk\/education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=449"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}