It's National Anti-Bullying Week from Monday 15 November to Friday 19 November, and we'd like to remind you we're here to help. Bullying has a long lasting effect on those who experience and witness it. It happens in schools and in universities, and it is an issue that affects about one in a quarter of British students at school, but sadly this experience continues beyond school into our adult lives, including time spent at university.
If you are experiencing bullying while studying at Imperial (or anywhere else) it is important to know that you are not alone, and it's important to ask for help. This guide (that we borrowed from here) will help you in the right direction to find help, and offers information on who to speak to at the College if this impacting you.
You’d be surprised just how many people go to university and are unaware of what bullying can entail, and whether or not what they are doing actually constitutes as bullying.
Bullying is behaviour that has the sole purpose of hurting others. Plenty of students have complained of experiencing various mental health issues at university, many of which are a direct result of bullying, or from sexual harassment or rape at university. Bullying can include, but is not limited to:
- Cyberbullying
- Social and emotional bullying
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Name calling
- Discrimination
- Racism
- LGBTQ Discrimination
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying (trolling) is a form of bullying where people are bullied by text, email, chat rooms, social media sites or any other form of electronic communication. Social media sites and apps have led to a rise in cyberbullying. A report by ABC News found that Cyberbullying affects 1 in 10 students. Cyberbullying and bullying are one and the same and both are equally unacceptable. If you or anyone you know have experienced it, we urge you to report this immediately to the College and to the relevant social media site.
Who can I speak to if I have experienced bullying at Imperial?
We recommend talking to our Advice Centre. Our advisors are impartial, maintain confidentiality, and they can guide you in how to deal with this.
The College also has a harassment and bullying support line through the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Centre. They have a new Report & Support tool, where you can disclose behaviours such as bullying, harassment, sexual violence and sexual harassment and sexual misconduct. You can disclose either anonymously or you can provide your details to be contacted by an advisor, regardless if you have experienced these directly or if you want to disclose on behalf of someone else.
You can speak to your tutor as well. Your tutor will have training in helping students that are experiencing bullying and can make some suggestions on how to combat this.
Your friends and family are also an important source of support. It's good to have someone who can help you through the experience and to make sure that you don't feel alone. Remember, a problem shared, is a problem halved!
Important contacts to have
These numbers and websites below are all free-to-call, and will be able to provide support and advice for those experiencing bullying.
| Issue | Helpline | Telephone Number |
|---|---|---|
| Mental Health Issues in General | Mind | 0300 123 3393 (Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm) |
| Panic Attacks/OCD | No Panic! | 0844 967 4848 (daily, 10am-10pm) |
| Suicide | PAPYRUS | 0800 068 4141 (Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm & 7-10pm. Weekends 2-5pm) |
| General | Samaritans | 116 123 (free 24-hour helpline) |
| Rape | Rape Crisis | 0808 802 9999 |
| Bullying | National Bullying Helpline | 0845 22 55 787 |
| Workplace Bullying | ACAS | 0300 123 1100 |
| Child Abuse | NSPCC | 0808 800 5000 or 0800 1111 5000 |
| Rape and Sexual Assault | Victim Support | 0808 802 9999 |
| Anti-Prejudice/Bullying | Ditch the Label | 01273 201129 |
| Bully Advice | BullyBusters | 0800 169 6928 |
| Cyberbullying Help | The Cybersmile Foundation | 02035 983 898 |
If you know anyone else who has experienced bullying, then we urge you to share these numbers with them too. Some of these companies, as you'll see above, have a specific or different focus and may be able to help you if you’re struggling with any other issues as well.