You do not need to report an incident to use this service. However, the service can provide assistance to report incidents to LSE and the police, and support to navigate these processes.
This service is run by external specialist partners - Rape Crisis South London and Survivors UK.
Accessing the Service
The service is available to all genders and sexualities.
- Rape Crisis South London can support self-identifying women.
- Survivors UK can support self-identifying men, and non-binary folk.
To self-refer into Rape Crisis South London please download and fill out the following referral form and email it to Rape Crisis at LSE.ISVA@rapecrisissouthlondon.org.
To self-refer into SurvivorsUK please fill out their online referral form that can be found here: SurvivorsUK | ISVA referral form
If you are completing a professional referral on behalf of someone else, please ensure you have consent from this person before submitting the form.
The service is independent from LSE and all referrals will go directly to our partner organisations.
If you are unsure or have more questions before making a referral, you are welcome to get in touch directly with our partner organisations:
Rape Crisis South London: LSE.ISVA@rapecrisissouthlondon.org.
Survivors UK: ISVA@survivorsuk.org
If you would like to speak to someone within LSE about this service, please do contact the Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy Adviser (Heather Williams, h.williams7@lse.ac.uk)
The Service
The service can provide short-term emotional support (up to 4 sessions) to any student or staff member impacted by sexual violence at any time, regardless of whether you have or intend to report.
The service can provide information and guidance on reporting an incident to LSE or the police which can enable you to make an informed choice on reporting.
If you have, or intend to, report an incident to LSE or the police, then the service will provide longer term practical support whilst you engage in this process.
The service can also work with you to identify other specialist support that may be available within and outside of LSE.
Do you need support more urgently?
FAQs
‘Sexual violence’ is an umbrella term used to describe any sexual activity that happened without consent which can include sexual harassment, sexual assault, abuse and rape.
Referrals go straight to our partners Rape Crisis or SurvivorsUK. LSE will not see referrals or emails sent directly to our partners.
Information can be shared with LSE when you consent to share OR where there is a serious concern for your safety or wellbeing or the safety or wellbeing of others.
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Supporting you to manage the impacts of sexual harassment, violence and/or intimate partner abuse.
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Helping you to understand better how trauma can impact you.
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Providing you with impartial information on your reporting options for both within the University and externally, e.g. with the police.
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Support and guidance to navigate any reporting process that you do move forward with.
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Signposting and referring you to appropriate support services both within LSE and externally.
We acknowledge that there is a very clear link between sexual violence and domestic abuse. Firstly, sexual violence can occur within relationships, and sexual violence is commonly perpetrated by a current or ex-partner.
Some abusive relationships include elements of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, including stalking.
If you have or are experiencing domestic abuse, and/or intimate partner abuse, you can get in touch with the service and the service will help to determine whether they are able to offer support or whether another specialist service may be more appropriate.
If you need advice relating to domestic abuse, you can reach out to the following:
If it is an emergency, or you are concerned about your immediate safety, please call 999.
Yes, of course. The service can provide short-term emotional support (up to 4 sessions) to any student or staff member impacted by sexual violence at any time, regardless of whether you have or intend to report.
Yes, of course. Sexual Violence is an umbrella term which includes a whole range of behaviours. It is very normal to feel unsure about what has happened, and you may be struggling to label your experience. You can use whatever language you feel comfortable using to describe your experience. This is something that you can talk about with the specialist staff in the service.
The service can also signpost you to other support services available in and outside the organisation if this service does not feel like the best fit after referral.
Once you have sent your email/referral form to Rape Crisis South London or Survivors UK, they will be in touch within 3 working days to set up an initial appointment online or in person.
At this appointment you can learn more about what the service can offer and ask any questions you may have. At this appointment you may agree what support would be helpful, or you might take some time following the appointment to decide.
It is completely your choice how many support sessions you decide to use. For example, you might choose to engage in 2 support sessions, take a pause, and then engage in another 2 sessions. The service will be as flexible as possible to best meet your support needs.