Due to the relationship of trust that often develops between an Academic Mentor and a student, your students may disclose incidents of bullying and harassment.
Under LSE’s anti-harassment and anti-bullying policy, you, as an Academic Mentor, are listed as an initial point of contact.
If a student does disclose incidents of bullying or harassment to you, LSE has a variety of resources, and students have several options as to what they can do.
This section details what you must keep in mind if a student discloses, what options the student has, and finally what resources are available to students both at LSE and beyond.
It also has details of how students should report a number of other issues to the School, including issues with their accommodation.
Harassment and Bullying
The fact the student has chosen to disclose to you is likely to imply they trust you.
You should:
- Listen, believe them, and take it seriously.
- Reassure the student they are right to disclose the abuse and that your conversation is confidential (unless someone is at immediate risk of significant harm as per the LSE Safeguarding Policy).
- Present the different options listed below to the student for them to make their own choice as to which course of action they would like to take.
Do not try to determine if the incident actually happened nor determine guilt. This is the job of an official investigation, should the student choose to report.
It is the student's choice to report or not. This must be respected unless there is an immediate risk of significant harm.
There are a series of options the student has:
- They can discuss the incident with an LSE Safe Contact (information provided below) or report the incident through LSE’s dedicated online form. The report will be treated confidentially and followed up promptly and fairly.
- They can report an incident that took place in the Halls of Residence to the LSE Halls Wardens.
- They can report directly to the Metropolitan police.
- For sexual assault or abuse, they can go to one of The Havens for criminal reporting and evidence collection. Please note that the evidence collection usually needs to occur within 72 hours of the incident.
- They can choose not to report at all. In these cases, they may request support in the form of counselling or a crisis centre. Please see that section of this page.
Please see the LSE staff guidance provided by EDI.
If a student is voicing concerns about their relationship with a staff member, the policy on personal relationships can be found here.
The fact the student has chosen to disclose to you is likely to imply they trust you.
You should:
- Listen, believe them, and take it seriously.
- Reassure the student they are right to disclose the abuse and that your conversation is confidential (unless someone is at immediate risk of significant harm as per the LSE Safeguarding Policy).
- Present the different options listed below to the student for them to make their own choice as to which course of action they would like to take.
Do not try to determine if the incident actually happened nor determine guilt. This is the job of an official investigation, should the student choose to report.
It is the student's choice to report or not. This must be respected unless there is an immediate risk of significant harm.
There are a series of options the student has:
- They can discuss the incident with an LSE Safe Contact (information provided below) or report the incident through LSE’s dedicated online form. The report will be treated confidentially and followed up promptly and fairly.
- They can report an incident that took place in the Halls of Residence to the LSE Halls Wardens.
- They can report directly to the Metropolitan police.
- For sexual assault or abuse, they can go to one of The Havens for criminal reporting and evidence collection. Please note that the evidence collection usually needs to occur within 72 hours of the incident.
- They can choose not to report at all. In these cases, they may request support in the form of counselling or a crisis centre. Please see that section of this page.
Please see the LSE staff guidance provided by EDI.
If a student is voicing concerns about their relationship with a staff member, the policy on personal relationships can be found here.
Supporting a student through their experiences of harassment or bullying can take an emotional toll.
It is important to set boundaries with students, to help them seek support from those who work with survivors, and to seek self-care for yourself.
LSE Counselling Services provides free sessions for staff where you can confidentially discuss any concerns you have. You can book an appointment through the website.
The personal relationships policy can be found here.
Reporting other issues
If a student is experiencing an issue in LSE Halls, they can report it here.
If they're having a problem in private halls and have reported it through the correct channels (usually by going to the help desk or reporting it through their online system), but have received no response or are not happy, the LSESU Advice team or University of London Housing Services will be able to explain their rights and may be able to help.
If they are experiencing issues with a private rented property, the LSESU Advice team, University of London Housing Services and the student's local council can provide more information and support.
There's lots of practical advice for if you're worried about another student here.
During working hours, you can speak to members of staff, including those in the student services centre and in your department.
For immediate safety concerns, you can also contact LSE security on 666 from any internal phone, or the Police or Ambulance service on 999.