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In an emergency:
Report to A & E: Call 999 and request an ambulance (if you are on campus, you can also call the Security emergency number 020 7882 3333), or attend any hospital A&E department.
Report to Police: Call 999. There is an option for silent support if talking will put you in danger.
Forced Marriage Unit: Government help and support line – +44 (0)20 7008 0151 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) email: fmu@fco.gov.uk.
Out of hours: 020 7008 1500 (ask for the Global Response Centre)
Out of hours: 020 7008 1500 (ask for the Global Response Centre)
Specialist support available
If it is not an emergency, you can speak to your GP/healthcare professional or call the Police non-emergency number 101 or attend any local Police station.
There are also a lot of confidential and independent support organisations that can support you:
- IMECE Women’s Centre: specialist support for Black, Minority Ethnic and Refugee (BMER) women, particularly Turkish, Kurdish and Turkish Cypriot women. Support in Tower Hamlets (and other boroughs) in Ending Harmful Practices: providing specialist intensive 1-1 services on different forms of Harmful Practices such as Forced Marriage, ‘Honour’ Based Violence, Female Genital Mutilation, Dowry related violence, and other forms of Harmful Practices – 020 7354 1359.
- IKWRO: specialist support (including counselling) to Middle Eastern and Afghan women and girls who are at risk of ‘honour’ based violence, forced marriage, child marriage, female genital mutilation and domestic violence - 0207 920 6460 (Mon to Fri 9.30-5.30), For out-of-hours emergencies call: Kurdish / Arabic/English: 07846 275246, Farsi / Dari / English: 07846 310157.
- Karma Nirvana: support for victims of ‘honour’-based violence and forced marriage – 0800 5999 247 (Monday-Friday: 9am - 5pm).
- The Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline: for women experiencing domestic violence, including ‘honour’-based violence, their family, friends, colleagues and others calling on their behalf and this can be anonymous: 0808 2000 247.
- Rights of Women have two Family Law Advice Lines for women needing advice on domestic violence, abuse and family law. They also have an Immigration Law Line for women who have experienced gender-based violence and need advice on their immigration status.
Queen Mary Support for Students
Report and Support: you can report an incident using the Queen Mary’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support by filling in the form with your contact details. In the case of reporting with contact details and requesting an investigation, a member of the Academic Appeals, Conduct and Complaints team will discuss with you whether your report can be dealt with under the Code of Student Discipline. If requesting support, you will be referred to Advice and Counselling.
For Medical Students: If you experience of witness this during a clinical placement this should be reported via Report and Support. Your report will be triaged and referred to the Governance Manager and Student Academic & Pastoral Support Office within the School. Guidance on what SMD will do with such reports and the additional support available can be found on the QMPlus module here.
For Medical Students: If you experience of witness this during a clinical placement this should be reported via Report and Support. Your report will be triaged and referred to the Governance Manager and Student Academic & Pastoral Support Office within the School. Guidance on what SMD will do with such reports and the additional support available can be found on the QMPlus module here.
Advice and Counselling: the Advice and Counselling Service at Queen Mary is available for advice and guidance on further support options and for ongoing support for students. They provide a range of specialist, professional and confidential services to support students with financial, welfare, legal as well as emotional and psychological issues. You can request to be referred to them by completing a report with your contact details or contacting the team directly.
Your Student Support Officer: They are your first point of contact in your academic school/institute. They can also arrange support if your studies have been affected, or will be affected, by what has happened. You can also arrange to see your personal tutor or academic adviser in your academic school.
Residential Support: If you are living in Queen Mary accommodation you can talk to the Residential Support team who are there to support all aspects of your wellbeing in halls.
The Students' Union Academic Advice Service: the Students' Union provides a confidential, non-judgemental and free service available to all current Queen Mary Students. It is independent from the university, so issues discussed with the Academic Advice Service will not appear on your Queen Mary file without your consent. The Academic Advice Service provides specialist advice and support on academic issues such as concerns about your university experience, the student complaints procedure, appeals, disciplinary hearings, academic misconduct investigations and applications for extenuating circumstances.
Queen Mary Support for Staff
Report and Support: you can report an incident using the Queen Mary’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support by filling in the form with your contact details. Your report will be progressed by HR and, in the case of reporting with contact details, a HR Adviser or HR Partner will discuss with you the options for dealing with your report informally or formally, under the grievance policy.
- Confidential support, which is independent from Queen Mary
- Accessible via phone, e-mail, instant messaging and website
- No cost to you
- Professional consultation, counselling, information, resources and referrals to services in your local area
- No limit to the number of issues you can get support on
Trade Unions: Queen Mary recognises five campus trade unions: Unite, UCU, Unison, BDA, and BMA. Staff who are members can contact them for support and advice.
Queen Mary Occupational Health: Occupational Health works to promote health in the workplace and forms part of the overall health and safety management system, focusing on the management of work related health risks. This can include the prevention of work related ill health, facilitating rehabilitation after illness and injury, and promoting physical and mental wellbeing. Occupational Health can provide advice signpost staff to appropriate services. Just email: occhealth@qmul.ac.uk.
Further support
- Asha: a South Asian organisation that works to end violence against women and girls. Can offer confidential advice and information to any South Asian woman who is experiencing violence, or is worried about someone they know. They also offer secure, temporary accommodation – 0208 696 0023, email: advice@asha.org.uk
- Ashiana: refuges, advocacy and counselling which specialises in helping Black and Minority Ethnic women, in particular, women from South Asian, Turkish & Iranian communities who are impacted by domestic violence, sexual violence, childhood sexual abuse, as well as women and girls who have experienced any form of Harmful Practice including forced marriage, honour based violence and female genital mutilation.
- Freedom Charity: aims to brings awareness, help and support with regards to forced marriage, dishonour based violence and female genital mutilation (FGM). Their helpline is available on 0845 607 0133. They also offer text message support - text the words 4freedom: to 88802. The Freedom Charity App offers help, assistance and instruction to anyone at risk of or affected by Female Genital Mutilation, dishonour-based violence and forced marriages.
- Galop: advice and support to people who have experienced biphobia, homophobia, transphobia, sexual violence or domestic abuse. They also support lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer people who have had problems with the police or have questions about the criminal justice system – 020 7704 2040.
- Jewish Women’s Aid: specialist service with a helpline and counselling. The JWA helpline – 0808 801 0500 (9.30am–9.30pm on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday).
- Latin American Women’s Rights Service: offers advice, advocacy and practical support to Latin American women who are experiencing or have experienced Domestic Violence, Harmful practices or any other form of violence – 020 7324 9805 or 020 7324 9808.
- Solace Women’s Aid: free and confidential Advice service offering specialist short term support (up to a month) to women affected by domestic and sexual violence living in London. Provides immediate advice to women across all levels of risk and can refer on to our other services such as refuge accommodation, longer term advocacy support, counselling or specialist children’s services – 0808 802 5565.
- Tower Hamlets Domestic Abuse One Stop Shop: every Thursday 9.30am – 12.30pm, Whitechapel IDEA Store, 321 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BU.
- Victim Support Tower Hamlets: provides free and confidential practical and emotional support to victim/survivors of domestic violence, including advocacy, referral and information. The domestic violence does not have to have been reported to the police. 0207 364 7957 – 0808 1689 111 (‘Supportline’ - 24 hr).
This page lists services based in the UK. If you are working or studying outside of the UK at the moment and would like some guidance finding specialist support services near you, please contact:
- Students – Advice and Counselling
- Staff - Employee Assistance Programme