Sexual harassment is never acceptable.  

 
If you think you have been the target of sexual harassment or assault, it may be hard to know what to do or how to feel. What happened was not your fault. What you do next is your choice.  

Think  

Here are helpful flowcharts that lead you through your options within the university:

Helpful resources for support are here on the University welfare webpage.

If you’ve heard something distressing or if something is troubling you, the University's Counselling Service offers confidential help and is open to both students and staff. 

For appointment and enquiries, please email counselling@admin.ox.ac.uk.

The Sexual Harassment and Violence Support Service provides a safe space for you to be heard, with advisors offering free support and advice to any current student who has been impacted by sexual harassment or violence. All specialist caseworkers at the service are trained to support you at your pace, non-judgementally and in confidence. 

To arrange an appointment with one of our caseworkers, please complete our online form or email: supportservice@admin.ox.ac.uk. You do not have to provide any information in your submission regarding what has happened.

Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) is employed by Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre (OSARCC) and is seconded to the University to exclusively support students. They are completely independent from the University, your college or any other agencies, and will tailor their support according to your needs.

The ISVA accepts referrals directly from students via this self-referral form.

Third parties, including other University organisations, can also make referrals as long as they are sent with the student's permission via this third-party referral form. 

Upon receipt of your referral, the ISVA will contact you to arrange a time to meet you either virtually, via phone or face-to-face in a location that's convenient for you.
For other enquiries, they can also be contacted via OxfordUniISVA@osarcc.org.uk.

Staff can report an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you opt to speak to a Harassment Advisor. If you choose to talk to a Harassment Advisor they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you, in confidence. 

You will be given the option to be paired with a trained harassment advisor when you complete your report on this page. Whether you are a student or staff member you can make use of the University’s confidential harassment advisor network. The University recommends that you discuss the situation with a harassment advisor before taking any other steps in response to the alleged harassment. Talking through the events and your feelings with the advisor will help you decide on the best way to deal with the behaviour and will clarify the options available to you.

Contact details of the harassment advisors can be found on this page (SSO required). 

If you would prefer to speak with an advisor entirely unconnected with your department, faculty, or college, the Harassment Line can find an alternative advisor for you.

E-mail: harassment.line@admin.ox.ac.uk

If you choose to make a formal complaint to the University about a student or member of staff, there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow. Your options will depend on the context of what has happened to you. To make a formal complaint download and fill out the following form. 

You may choose to report what happened to the police. If you are considering this, or have made a report, you can receive support from an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor. The police can provide you with details, or you can self-refer into OSARCC or Victim’s First Specialist Service. 

Do you want to visit a Sexual Assault Referral Centre? A SARC will collect any forensic evidence, in case you decide you want to report to the police. The nearest SARC is Solace SARC in Bicester. Call ahead on this number: 0800 970 9952.

Taking no action is a valid choice. Not everybody feels ready or inclined to report what has happened and this is okay.