Sexual violence support - SVLO service
Liverpool Hope offers specialist support to any student or staff member who has experienced sexual violence.
Our Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs) take seriously all reports of sexual violence or harassment and provide tailored, non-judgemental and trauma-informed support. It doesn’t matter if it happened before you started university, involved a student or member of staff, or happened outside of university premises – an SVLO can support you.
What is sexual violence?
Sexual Violence is any unwanted contact of a sexual nature. This includes rape, sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
If you have experienced a form of sexual violence, whatever the circumstances, whenever it happened, we can support you.
It is important to remember that you are not to blame and you are not alone. We will take you through your options and support you to make your own decisions about any next steps.
Who can use this service?
Our SVLOs are trained advisors who provide emotional and practical support to anyone who reports rape, assault or harassment, regardless of when and where this happened.
You do not have to report your experience to the police to access support from this service. We will never tell you what to do, but will explore your options and be guided by you. We can consider ways to help you feel safe at University, and help you manage the emotional impacts of what happened. We can help you to access external support services, and give you specific information.
We can support you to report to the police, if that is what you choose to do, and can guide you through this process. We can advise and help you regardless of whether or not you choose to report to the police or through university disciplinary processes.
How do I access support?
Students
Students can access support from the Sexual Violence Service by submitting an online reporting form. It is advised that you read the guidance notes first - Guidance on the Sexual Misconduct Reporting/Disclosure Form
Staff
Staff members can access support by completing the staff online reporting tool.
Once you have submitted this form, you will be contacted by a member of the SVLO team and offered support. We can then arrange a one-to-one confidential meeting to take place in a quiet and private setting. The SVLO will ask you for key information in order for them to outline your options and provide ongoing support.
What external support is available?
If you would prefer to approach a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) directly, that is fine. The SARC for Merseyside is Safe Place Merseyside.
SAFE Place Merseyside
T: 0151 295 3550 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
W: www.safeplacemerseyside.org.uk/
A: 6 David Lewis St, Liverpool, L1 4AP
You may also wish to access support directly from Liverpool’s Rape and Sexual Abuse (RASA) Support service.
RASA Merseyside
T: 0151 558 1801
E: rasa@rasamerseyside.org
W: www.rasamerseyside.org/
A: Units 2 and 3 Stella Nova, Washington Parade, Bootle, L20 4TZ
Confidentiality
Our SVLOs take brief notes at meetings which are stored securely and we treat the information shared with us as confidential. This means that, unless there is a risk of harm, information will not be shared outside the SVLO team.
Important things to note:
If the SVLO believes that you or someone else is at risk of harm, they may need to share your information with the University and/or the police.
If you decide to report the incident through the University disciplinary process and/or the police, it is highly probable that the reported party will be informed of the report. The SVLO can explain this process to you and support you through it.
Contact the Team
If you have any further questions or would like to speak to a member of the SVLO team, please contact:
E:
T: 0151 291 3427 (Students)
T: 0151 291 3818 (Staff)