Pro-active and preventative work
We encourage our whole University community to be involved in our proactive approach to tackling sexual violence, domestic abuse and harassment. Whether you're a student or a staff member, everyone has a role to play and can be a part of the conversation. We also work with a wide range of external organisations to provide events and training throughout the academic year, aiming to raise awareness of the support available.
We take a multi-faceted approach in taking steps to prevent sexual violence, domestic abuse and harassment within our community. Our approach is focused on promoting healthy relationships, supporting survivors and creating safer environments. This includes educating our students about consent, healthy relationships, and bystander intervention, as well as challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours that contribute to sexual violence, domestic abuse and harassment.
All students are able to access specialist advice and support from our Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) and Domestic Abuse Liaison Officer (DALO) teams, in addition to support from their designated Student Experience and Support Officer.
Our teams work with a wide range of external organisations on events and campaigns to raise awareness of these important issues, as well as the support available for students who have experienced this. We also promote and highlight key national campaigns such as Sexual Violence Awareness Week and No More Week. You can find information about upcoming events on the Keele App 'What's On' section.
We work closely with our Students' Union to ensure that student voice is at the heart of our prevention strategy. We also welcome any feedback from students around how we can better raise awareness of these issues through the University's 'Let Us Know' feedback initiative.
We currently offer a range of education and training opportunities for both students and staff. You can find more details about these below.
All students are expected to complete our mandatory 'Consent' module as part of our induction programme when they commence their course. The module helps to educate our new students about what consent means, how to navigate conversations about consent, and how to recognise sexual violence.
If you have experienced sexual violence and have concerns about completing this module as part of your induction, please contact our Sexual Violence Liaison Officer (SVLO) team who will be able to support you.
We also have some further information and links available on our sexual violence information and support webpages.
Here's some feedback from one of our former students who, through completing our Consent module, was able recognise a previous experience as assault and access much-needed support (this student was happy for their feedback to be shared):
"While completing the module, I was able to recognize that I had experienced sexual assault — something I had not fully understood or identified before. It was a difficult realization, but ultimately an empowering one, and it allowed me to begin seeking the support and healing I needed. I wanted to thank the university for implementing such an important initiative. That module made a real difference in my life, and I believe it’s incredibly valuable for other students too."
A bystander is someone who witnesses an incident of discrimination or unacceptable behaviour. This may involve people they know, or strangers. A passive bystander stands by but does nothing to help the situation, whereas an active bystander intervenes in a non-confrontational way to either help the victim or prevent an incident from happening.
We want our students to feel confident in challenging discrimination and unacceptable behaviour, and in supporting each other if something happens.
We offer interactive Active Bystander training workshops to students at various points during the academic year, and would particularly encourage students on professional courses (such as health-based courses) and society committee members to get involved.
If you're interested in taking part in a workshop as a student, or if you're interested in hosting a workshop for your students as an academic colleague, please contact Student Services (student.services@keele.ac.uk).
As part of our commitment to adopt a whole institution approach to understanding, supporting and addressing sexual violence, domestic abuse and harassment, we have developed an online learning module for staff. We encourage all University staff to complete this training.
The training is intended to provide staff with:
- Understanding of what constitutes sexual violence and domestic abuse
- Understanding of key statistics
- Awareness of the support available to students who have experienced sexual violence or domestic abuse
- Understanding of how to refer students for support
Staff can access and complete the training on the Staff Learning Pool.
If you have any questions or would like to request an in-person workshop for your staff team, please contact Student Services (student.services@keele.ac.uk).
As part of our commitment to adopt a whole institution approach to understanding, supporting and addressing sexual violence, domestic abuse and harassment, we have developed a staff training workshop to provide guidance to student-facing staff who may find themselves receiving a disclosure of sexual violence or domestic abuse from a student. This training programme is focused on enabling safe and effective responses to disclosures, providing a meaningful preventative role by fostering early detection, encouraging reporting, enabling swift intervention, and shaping a culture of safety and accountability.
We encourage all University student-facing staff to complete this training.
The workshop is intended to provide staff with:
- Understanding of what constitutes sexual violence and domestic abuse
- Understanding of key statistics
- Awareness of trauma responses and the impact of abuse
- Knowledge of 'rape myths' and victim blaming
- Understanding of both the barriers to disclosures and reasons for disclosures
- Understanding of the skills needed to take a disclosure
- Guidance on how to take and record notes which may later be requested as part of a police investigation
- Awareness of the support available to students who have experienced sexual violence or domestic abuse
- Understanding of how to refer students for support
- Guidance on how to take care of your own wellbeing when working in this context
Staff can book to attend a session via the Keele People portal.
If you have any questions or would like to request a bespoke training workshop for your staff team, please contact Student Services (student.services@keele.ac.uk).
"During the global 16 Days of Activism in 2025, our SVLO and DALO teams led a series of campus-wide initiatives to raise awareness of gender‑based violence and promote the support available to all victim‑survivors of sexual violence and domestic abuse. As part of our commitment to preventative work, these activities encouraged early intervention, allyship, and a culture of collective responsibility. To mark the campaign, the Forest of Light at the heart of campus was illuminated in orange in support of the UN‑backed #OrangeTheWorld movement, symbolising our shared vision of a future free from violence."
"As part of our campaign work, our SVLO and DALO teams run a range of interactive activities that help students learn more about sexual violence, domestic abuse and the support available. These include creative sessions such as badge‑making, giving students an accessible way to engage, spark conversations and promote allyship. Through these hands‑on activities, we continue to strengthen preventative work and encourage a safer, more informed campus community."
"The F.R.I.E.S. acronym is a helpful way to understand the key elements of consent: it should be Freely given, Reversible, Informed, Enthusiastic, and Specific. We provide clear guidance on what consent means across our Never OK hub and within our students’ induction activities. To support National Sexual Violence Awareness Week, our SVLO and DALO teams ran an engaging awareness activity by offering free portions of fries to students, using the F.R.I.E.S. framework to spark conversations and explore how each principle applies in real‑life scenarios."
"Representatives from our DALO team attended and delivered a presentation at the AMOSSHE National Student Services Conference, where its work on the DALO initiative inspired several universities to explore ways to strengthen their own support systems for students disclosing domestic abuse. Keele remains committed to sector-wide collaboration, actively working with other institutions to share best practice and drive continuous improvement."
"Our SVLO and DALO teams coordinated a university‑wide food and clothing donation drive in support of a local domestic abuse shelter. Staff from across the institution generously contributed essential items, helping to provide comfort and practical support to individuals and families rebuilding their lives. This initiative forms part of our wider commitment to preventative work, strengthening community resilience and supporting services that help reduce the risk of harm before it occurs."
"No More Week is a global call to stand together against domestic abuse and sexual violence, and to empower victim‑survivors to seek support. As No More Week 2026 coincided with National Student Money Week, our DALO and SVLO teams focused on raising awareness of financial and economic abuse - an often unrecognised yet deeply harmful form of control in relationships. The campaign helped our community understand the signs and where to access support."
"Our DALO team joined BBC Radio Stoke to help promote the support available for those facing domestic abuse and to raise awareness of what domestic abuse can look like. During the interview, our representatives highlighted the support we offer, the importance of recognising the signs of abuse, and how individuals can safely access help. By taking part, the team aimed to encourage more people to seek support and to reinforce that nobody has to face domestic abuse alone."
"As part of our campaign work, we hosted a sponsored stationary‑cycling event to raise funds for the charity Refuge. Staff and students were invited to take turns on the bikes, collectively clocking up miles while showing their support for those affected by domestic abuse. The event brought the campus community together for a meaningful cause, combining fundraising with awareness‑raising to strengthen our commitment to preventative work and support services."
