At Royal Holloway we are all committed to ensuring our Egham and London campuses are safe, supportive and respectful communities for all students. 

We are values led and strive to be Daring, Innovative, Open and Respectful and we expect everyone to manage our contact with others with Dignity and Respect. We work to support positive cultural change within our community to ensure a safe and supportive environment for you  This includes communicating our values and expectations of equality, diversity & inclusivity, a commitment to developing awareness and conversations about issues such as consent and encouraging everyone to be an active bystander by calling out poor behaviour if you see it. 

We understand that incidents of sexual harm and harassment are likely to negatively impact on those who experience these and can cause difficulties in your student life and your academic achievements. 

All members of the University are responsible for helping to create a community that is supportive and free from harm. Research and evidence demonstrates that consent and active bystander awareness plays an important role in preventing sexual harm and harassment and supports us in helping deliver the skills to support each other, call poor behaviour or attitudes out and confidently intervene when needed.  

Royal Holloway students are requested to complete a short online course called Consent Matters that will develop your understanding of the importance of sexual consent and how you can use this knowledge to promote positive cultural change in our university community. We know that talking about sex and relationships can be difficult and each of the three 20 minute modules will help empower you to develop confidence in understanding appropriate behaviour, respect for others and positive intervention techniques.

Thinking about Consent 

• Defining and understanding consent, so you know when you have it as well as when it can and can’t be given, whatever your gender or sexuality.

Communication Skills and Relationships

• Recognising and asserting your own boundaries, and how to talk about boundaries with others.

Looking out for Others 

• How to take simple, safe and effective steps to challenge harassment when you see it.

 We understand these topics can be challenging to engage with. If you’d like to discuss your response to these topics or related concerns please contact our Wellbeing Advisers at wellbeing@royalholloway.ac.uk.