Reporting an Incident

Important things to remember

• It was not your fault
• You are not alone; you deserve to feel supported and believed
• You have a choice in what you do next and what is right for you
• You can get support from trusted friends and family and/or professional support
• You can get support from services within TUS, as well as from external services
• You can go a  Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU) for a forensic medical examination. They can store evidence for you while you make your mind up about reporting
• You can report the incident to An Garda Siochana if you choose to do so
• You can report any incidents of sexual violence or harassment to the University. You don’t have to do this, but if you do, we can direct you to appropriate confidential support and help with any adjustments to your study or work.

Who to contact if you feel at risk and need urgent help

If you or someone else feels at risk right now and/or if you are injured, then you can call the emergency services on 999 or 112.

If you’ve recently been raped or assaulted if possible, try not to eat or drink, smoke, wash yourself, brush or comb your hair, brush your teeth, change your clothes, go to the toilet, move or clean anything where the rape or sexual assault took place. If you do, or have done, any of these things don’t worry. It’s possible there is still forensic evidence to collect, and you can still report to the police if you choose to.

Reporting to TUS

You have the option to:

• Not make a report
• Report anonymously through the Speak Out tool
• Make a disclosure to the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response manager or ESVH ally
• Submit a formal complaint

You can seek support from TUS which ever option you choose. You can also change your mind while pursuing one option to pursue another option.

Anonymised aggregate data is shared with the HEA for statistical analysis in compliance with its statutory obligations and to inform funding and other decisions made by the HEA.

Speak Out

Speak Out is an online anonymous reporting tool available to students and staff to disclose incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/ control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape.

The information you provide using this tool is valuable as the data collated will help inform TUS’ activities aimed at addressing bullying, harassment and sexual violence.

It is important to remember that as the Speak Out reporting tool is completely anonymous, there is no way of identifying or contacting any member of the university community who uses the tool.

The tool will help you to find information and contact details of relevant TUS supports and specialist external supports. Please report one incident, or series of related incidents at a time. This is to ensure that we can understand the nature of your experience.

Since the launch of Speak Out, between 2021-2022, 43 people have anonymously reported their experiences of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape in TUS.