Emergency & Personal Wellbeing Support: Finding Help When You Need It
Please note: This page is currently in development. The content is in draft form and may change before the resource is formally launched.
This page outlines legal protections and rights, institutional and workplace protections and inclusive mental health resources that individuals can access in an emergency.
If you need support reviewing and validating your organisational norms, institutional responsibilities and policies for ensuring safety and protection of your employees, please visit the Creating safer institutions: Protection policies and Incident and backlash protocol sections.
Immediate safety, harassment and legal rights
If you or someone you know is facing immediate physical danger, severe threats, or a security incident on or off campus, please call 999 right away for emergency services. You can also contact your institution’s Campus Emergency or Security Line for urgent support. |
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It is common to encounter friction or resistance* during equity work. However, targeted digital hate, racial harassment, doxing, and physical threats are forms of unlawful violence. You deserve to feel safe and do not have to accept harm.
- Emergency Police Intervention: Call 999 if you are in immediate danger.
- Reporting Non-Emergency Hate Crimes:
- Call 101 to report non-emergency hate incidents to the police.
- Report online anonymously or formally via True Vision (UK Police Hate Crime Reporting Portal).
- Legal & Rights Advice:
- Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS): Free, expert advice on racial discrimination, human rights, and your protections under the Equality Act 2010.
- Helpline: 0808 800 0082 (Mon–Fri, 9am–7pm | Sat, 10am–2pm)
- Citizens Advice: Free guidance on reporting hate crimes, understanding workplace rights, and accessing legal support.
- Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS): Free, expert advice on racial discrimination, human rights, and your protections under the Equality Act 2010.
Culturally Informed & Racially Inclusive Mental Health Support
Standard mental health services can sometimes lack structural racial awareness. The following independent organisations provide culturally informed, racially inclusive, and trauma-informed therapy and crisis care:
- The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network (BAATN): The UK’s largest independent group of Black, African, Asian, and South Asian counsellors and psychotherapists.
- Website: baatn.org.uk
- Website: baatn.org.uk
- Black Minds Matter UK: Connects Black individuals and families with free, professional mental health services and qualified Black therapists.
- Website: blackmindsmatteruk.com
- Website: blackmindsmatteruk.com
- NHS Urgent Mental Health Services: For 24/7 NHS mental health crisis support across England and Wales:
- Call 111 or find your local 24/7 NHS urgent mental health helpline directly via nhs.uk/service-search/mental-health.
Institutional and Workplace Protection
If you are an HEI employee, researcher, or student experiencing workplace discrimination, press harassment, or administrative retaliation, you can access the following institutional supports right away:
- Trade Union Representation: Reach out to your local branch representative (UCU, UNISON, Unite) for confidential support, legal advice, and workplace representation.
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP): You can find 24/7 confidential counselling and crisis support lines through your institution’s HR portal or staff intranet.
- Press & IT Security Shields: If you are experiencing digital harassment or a media storm, let your departmental lead know so they can activate IT emergency spam filtering and ask the Communications Office to put press firewalls in place.
- Non-Employed & Community Partner Support: If you are an independent freelancer, community lead, or advisor without an HEI contract, you can contact your Named Institutional Escalation Contact to access emergency wellbeing stipends and security support.