Sexual Violence and Misconduct

Domestic abuse is an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence, in the majority of cases by a partner or ex-partner, but also by a family member or carer.

Sexual violence is the general term we use to describe any kind of unwanted sexual act or activity, including rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse.

All of the above can happen to anyone regardless of age, gender identity, race, sexuality, geography, financial status or marital status.

Domestic abuse and sexual violence are not acceptable; you have the right to live your life free of abuse.

What can I do if I am experiencing domestic abuse/violence?

Experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence can make people feel worried, anxious, lost, hopeless, depressed, scared, or lonely. These are completely justifiable feelings - you are not alone. Here is just some of the help and support out there for you.

Your Advice Service

Your Students’ Union Advice service can help with third party hate crime reporting. This means that they can offer help on reporting the incident and support you with practical issues that may have arisen because of your experience. You can contact your advice service here.


Reporting Tool

The University online reporting tool allows you to report and see a trained specialist advisor if you have experienced or witnessed incidents of harassment. Make a report here.


Health and Wellbeing

Coventry University health and wellbeing team Offers Counselling Sessions, Mental Health Support & Professional Advice if you have experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct or domestic abuse. Find out more and get in touch here.


Protection Services

Your campus protection team are your very own security team, here to help keep you safe on campus and in university halls of residence. Check out the best way to get in touch with protection here.


In an Emergency

If you are in an emergency or feel like you are in immediate danger either on or off campus, please call emergency services on 999 to get support from police, ambulance and/or the fire service.

CRASAC (Coventry Rape and Sexual Assault Centre)

A specialist service in Coventry which provides support for both adults and children who have been impacted directly or indirectly by sexual violence or abuse at any time in their lives. They currently provide an advice and information phone line which accepts referrals and self-referrals (you can also make a referral through one of their online referral forms. They have women’s only safe spaces within the center as well as all-gender spaces.

Phone: (Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm and Friday 9am-3pm): 024 7627 7777

Email: helpline@crasac.org.uk


Survivor Sanctuary Coventry

A small organization that provides peer-to-peer support for victims and survivors of sexual violence. They aim to:

  1. Create safe spaces that provide connection, belonging, and friendship through people’s shared lived experiences.
  2. Ensure that survivors have a voice where decisions are made about policy changes that directly affect them.
  3. Work with systems and organizations to reform the experience for survivors of the reporting process and the accessibility of specialized support.

Email: survivorsanctuarycov@gmail.com to find out more about their support and weekly support groups.

Visit Website

The Havens

A series of specialist centers in London for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted, offering support for both recent and historic victims. There are clinics near King’s College Hospital, Royal London Hospital, and St Charles Centre for Health and Wellbeing. They offer 24/7 appointments and aim to see all urgent cases within 90 minutes.

Phone for urgent advice and appointments: 020 3299 6900

Phone for general enquiries: 020 3299 1599

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Survivors’ Gateway London

An info hub created as a collaboration between eight specialist London agencies, including the fou Rape Crises centers, Survivors UK, Galop, Respond, and The Havens. You can find support for any survivor of sexual violence from age 13 onwards, for all genders and sexualities. The website has a service map where you can enter your location and receive a useful list of your nearest support centers. They also have lists of helplines, resources and advice.

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Scarborough Sexual Health Centre

A center with lots of resources aimed towards residents in Scarborough and North Yorkshire. It provides information on general sexual health, STIs, where to get STI testing and support with issues related to pregnancy, sexual assault and abuse. The Scarborough Sexual Health Centre also offers:

  1. Pre-booked appointments: 9am-6:15pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and 9am-12:00pm on Fridays.
  2. A walk-in clinic specifically for young people aged 17 and under run on Tuesdays, 4pm-6:30pm.
  3. A free and confidential counselling service (run through the YourSexualHealth website), offering up to a total of 7 appointments) for those affected by sexual assault/abuse living in North Yorkshire.

Phone for appointments and enquiries: 01904 721 111.

Or contact through the website form here.

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Survive (North Yorkshire)

A website that offers free services for those affected by sexual assault/abuse, including counselling and trauma therapy. They also operate a helpline Monday-Thursday 10am-12pm. The helpline is anonymous and can offer emotional and practical support. Any in-person appointments are conducted from their center in York.

Phone: 01904 638 813

Email: survive@survive-northyorks.org.uk

National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline

Emotional and practical support for LGBT+ people experiencing domestic abuse. phone: 0800 999 5428

Email: help@galop.org.uk

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Safeline

A charity that works across England and Wales, preventing sexual violence and abuse and supporting those affected to cope and recover. They offer:

Early intervention services to help prevent child sexual abuse, as well as early support for children and young people who are at risk.

Counselling and therapeutic support for sexual violence survivors.

Independent emotional and practical support to anyone who has experienced historical or recent sexual violence and abuse.

Education and training to prevent and address sexual violence and abuse.

Phone: 01926 402 498

Email: via the contact form on their contact webpage here.

Visit Website

What are the signs of domestic abuse/violence?

Abuse is complex and can present itself in many different forms. People are likely to experience more than one type of abuse at a time. different types of abuse can be recognized by some common characteristics. The most common are below.

  1. Slapping, Hitting or Punching you.
  2. Biting or Spitting at you.
  3. Pushing or Shoving you.
  4. Throwing things at you.
  5. Holding you down.

  1. Degrading and humiliating you along with repeated putdowns or negative comments such as telling you you’re worthless.
  2. Taking control over your everyday life, dictating things like where you can go, who you can see and what you can wear.
  3. Isolating you from friends, family and the wider world.
  4. Excessive and/or secretive monitoring of where you are and how you’re spending your time.
  5. Depriving you of basic needs like food and access to medical services.

  1. Making you feel pressured to have sex.
  2. Touching you when you do not want to be touched.
  3. Making unwanted sexual demands of you.
  4. Hurting you during sexual activity.
  5. If your partner has sex with you when you do not want to, this is rape.

  1. Standing over you, invading your space in a way that makes you uncomfortable.
  2. Threatening to hurt you or kill you.
  3. Throwing things, breaking things, or taking your belongings from you.
  4. Reading your texts and emails when you have not consented.
  5. Following you and/or harassing you by phone/email/text.

  1. Taking your money or using your bank/credit cards without permission.
  2. Pressuring you to provide them with money or help their financial situation.
  3. Trying to control the way you spend your money.
  4. Demanding that you share your financial details with them, such as passwords and pin numbers.
  5. Consistently borrowing your money without paying it back.

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