The trauma of assault or crime can linger for a long time and you may want to come to help after processing what happened. Manchester Met offers resources and human aid to help you carry on your student life the way it should.

MMU offers experienced people in helping students with a range of problems to do with their mental health and well-being. The MMU counselling services include:

• Confidential counselling
• Mental health and well-being advice
• Health advice/information
• Referral and liaison with other services
• Group psychotherapy

MMU also encompasses the Chaplaincy who offer spiritual help, friendship, support, advice, prayer, study and information for all faiths. Millard says it also supports students of no faith too. The Chaplaincy offers advice and help to whoever may need it whether it is comfort or reassurance.

Lyle Millard, head of well being and pastoral support advises that students go out in pairs and to be in a pair all the time. “[It’s] one thing I’ve picked up on. Go out in pairs and look out for each other,” he said.

Students may have trouble reporting crimes to authorities which can prevent the issue being resolved but Millard says “We would direct them to external providers of support such as for sexual harassment.” Any student that the service supports which poses a risk to themselves or somebody else, the authorities will need to be notified so confidentiality isn’t guaranteed.

Security on campus can also help students with issues. Andrew McGrath, security operations officer, runs the security at accommodation on campus. He says “We provide a 24 hr service. If [the issue] happened off campus, report to the police, but if [you] contact us we can offer support and give safety advice to minimise offense. He added: “If the assault happened on campus, you can come to us and we tend to respond quicker than police usually do.”

With a six minute response time, MMU security can be at your aid through using the free SafeZone app. “We have something called a ‘Geo-fence’,” McGrath said. “The barrier goes up to the Aquatic centre to top of Upper Brook street, down past Palace Theatre and then back round to Stretford Road past student accommodation and out toward Asda. If you press ‘Emergency’ in that area, your phone will send a signal to the security lodge.”