FAQs

Anyone can report at any time.

When you make a report, if you have chosen to meet with an adviser, you will be contacted within 3 working days by the appropriate team (HR for staff and Student Support for students).

Our main concern is your safety and wellbeing, and the safety of the wider University community. Appropriate disciplinary action can be taken by the University if the alleged perpetrator is also a member of the University community (e.g. a student or staff member), this will be in accordance with pre-existing disciplinary policies.

If the incident involved someone outwith the University support can still be provided, this includes support when reporting to the police.

You can report an incident that has happened to you or someone you know.

The University of Aberdeen aims to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and students. If you are a victim of sexual violence or harassment and the incident occurred off campus or involved someone not affiliated to the University, we can still support you.

It may be the case that we cannot apply our disciplinary procedures, however we can assist in supporting your recovery.

For information you can email report.support@abdn.ac.uk.

If the incident involved someone outwith the University support can still be provided, this includes support when reporting to the police.

All reports are dealt with the utmost seriousness and are handled in accordance with the University's Ethical Framework for Confidentiality. 

Our top priority is the safety and wellbeing of all members of the University community. You can report on behalf of someone else. 

Yes. The reporting tool asks for the nature of the reporter and the individual against whom the complaint is made.

This will depend on the nature of the reporter. If they are a staff member, HR will receive the report and arrange a conversation with the staff member reporting the incident to offer support. No action will be taken against a staff member without discussion with the reporting staff member. If the reporter is a student, Student Support will have this initial support conversation and then discuss options for how a case can be resolved by passing it formally to our HR team.

It isn’t that action isn’t taken, but the reporting doesn’t allow for action to be taken as we do not collect details of names or the incident. This reporting type is used for our research into the wider prevalence and impact of GBV, though how this is marketed “anonymous” and the longer term use of this function will be reviewed this year.

If you chose to make a report to the Police, you can ask for someone from the University or AUSA to accompany or support you. You can contact us by emailing student.support@abdn.ac.uk; hr@abdn.ac.uk or ausa@abdn.ac.uk

A report can be made through the Police Scotland website; by contacting 101 to report non-emergency matters/general enquiries; or by calling 999 in an emergency.

Police Scotland are committed to providing a sensitive service which takes account of the trauma of sexual violence. More details on how Police Scotland respond to reports of sexual misconduct is available on the Scottish Government website.

Police Scotland have shared the below information which outlines the process you can expect when a report is made to them.

1. An initial report will be taken - you can ask to speak to a female or male officer and can take someone with you for support.
2. If you report a sexual offence the police may wish to seize clothing and other items relevant to the police investigation.
3. A Sexual Offences Liaison Officer (SOLO) will be assigned to you. This is a specialised officer who is trained in discussing sexual incidents and has insight into the impact that trauma can have on a person.
4. A witness statement will be taken and a medical examination can be arranged where appropriate.  
5. Police Officers will carry out detailed enquiries with any potential witnesses and interview the person responsible. On the conclusion of the police investigation;
   1. if there is insufficient evidence, the case will not be reported to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and you will be informed of this.
   2. if there is sufficient evidence, the Police will send a report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service who will make a preliminary decision on the case.
6. Police Scotland will ensure you have the opportunity to obtain support from specialist external services, for example Rape Crisis.
7. Please note: if, at a later date, you do not want to go ahead with a criminal case, your wishes will be taken into account however the police may continue with the investigation.