We want your first few weeks at university to be a time when you’re making great memories that will last a lifetime. To make sure you have the best experience possible, we’ve popped some tips below to help keep yourself, your student home and your belongings safe.
Be street safe
- Be aware of your surroundings. Using a mobile phone, wearing a hood, or listening to music on headphones, can distract you what’s happening around you. Street crime is often opportunistic, so making yourself less of a target by being aware of your surroundings. This will go a long way to keeping you safe.
- Travel safely. Try to stick to routes and forms of transport that others are using. If you do walk home alone, stick to main roads and avoid poorly lit areas, alleyways, and shortcuts through lonely places. If possible, travel with a friend. If you use taxis, only use those that are licensed.
- Be vigilant. When using cash machines make sure you protect your PIN. Try to avoid using a cash machine late at night, and if you have been drinking. If you do need to withdraw cash, use a machine in a busy well-lit area and stay with friends.
- Go against the flow. When you’re walking on the pavement it’s a good idea to face oncoming traffic, as it will make it far more difficult for anyone to approach you from behind in a car or on scooters without your noticing them. Remember to still also be aware of anyone approaching from in front to you too.
- Protect your valuables. Try to keep your phone out of sight, and be vigilant if you do have to use your phone outside.
- Attract help if you need it. If you feel threatened, make as much noise as possible to identify yourself in order to warn off the individual and to attract help from others.
- Drink responsibly on nights out. Alcohol and drugs will reduce your reaction times and inhibitions, which makes it harder for you to assess risks and decide how to deal with them. You are far more vulnerable when you are drunk, especially if you are on your own. Eat before you go out, and try to alternate alcoholic drinks with soft drinks
**************
Find more tips on enjoying a night out safely from the Freshers’ Week Alcohol Survival Guide from DrinkAware.co.uk
***************
Spiking – know the signs
Spikings have become more common in recent years. As we say, although Liverpool is a relatively safe place to live and study, it’s worth being alert to spiking on nights out and understanding how to spot the warning signs of spiking in your friends.
- Pace yourself. Keep an eye on how much you and your friends are drinking.
- Use bottle ‘bungs’ (like a cork) offered by many bars and nightclubs. These can prevent your drinks from being spiked – ask for one at the bar.
- Don’t accept drinks from strangers, especially after you have had a few drinks.
- If you think you or a friend has been spiked, make sure to alert bar or event staff and the police, including reporting any suspicious behaviour. Call 999 and get medical help, especially if there is a loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties, or abnormal or impaired sight.
- If you have used recreational drugs or drunk a lot of alcohol, it’s important to tell your friends what you have taken and when, and to get medical help if you need it.
Merseyside Police has a dedicated webpage where you can report spiking or spiking-related offences, along with advice and information to help you or someone you know who has been affected by spiking.
There is no time limit to reporting spiking incidents- whenever it happened, you can tell the police about it.
Protecting your property
- Remember to lock all doors and windows, and activate any house alarms as you leave your house or flat. If there is access at the back of the property, always make sure that gates are locked and fences are secure.
- Make sure that valuables are out of sight. Laptops, gadgets, and computers that can be spotted through a window will make your home very attractive to burglars.
- Register your possessions for free with Immobilise, the national property register. This allows police to identify the owners of any recovered stolen property should the worst happen.
Road safety and e-scooters
- Our University is part of a large, vibrant city, and this can mean busy roads and traffic. It’s worth refreshing your road safety knowledge from time to time; the Highway Code is a good place to start.
- You might have already tried Liverpool’s e-scooters and they’re a great, quick way to get around the city. To make sure you know how to use them to avoid potential penalties and to keep yourself and others safe, we’ve put together some tips here.
Staying safe on campus
Campus Support
The Campus Support Team help keep campus a safe and secure place to live, study and work. The team can be contacted using the emergency number 0151 794 2222.
Chaperone Service
Campus Support run a dedicated chaperone service on campus, that runs 24 hours a day. If you’re working late on campus or you feel vulnerable and would like to be escorted across campus at night, please call Campus Support at any time on 0151 794 3252.
Campus police officer
The University has a dedicated Police Officer – PC Andy Woolford – who works alongside our Campus Support Services team and can offer practical safety advice and support regarding any crime-related issues.
You can get in touch with Andy by email: a.woolford@liverpool.ac.uk.
Report + Support
Report + Support is an online service which you can use to tell us about incidents you have seen or experienced that have made you feel uncomfortable. It can be used to report incidents including bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, hate crime, assault or discrimination, and can be used anonymously if you wish.
You can access the tool at any time online.
If you need immediate help
- If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured call 999
- If you call 999 and are unable to talk remain silent and press 55. There will be a recorded message and you must press 55 to confirm you need help.
- If you are on campus and feel unsafe, call campus support (security) on 0151 794 2222 or go to your nearest University building and ask someone to phone campus support for you.