Anonymous Reporting Tool - FAQs
This is an online tool for recording anonymous reports in relation to bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, domestic abuse, stalking, abuse, spiking, discrimination or victimisation.
It is important to be aware that completing the anonymous reporting form will not lead to any direct action and the University will not be able to investigate your report. The exception to this will be when there is a safeguarding concern and the person reporting has provided sufficient information for the necessary protective action to be taken.
We would encourage, whenever possible, that anyone reporting an incident does so via the relevant team, so for students that is Student Support Services (please see student reporting options in our Sexual Misconduct, Domestic Abuse, Bullying and Harassment Procedure for Reporting and Investigation here) and for staff that your HR lead contact. This will enable us to advise you on the options and support available to you.
If you are a third-party (e.g. visitor, contractor) and have witnessed or experienced harassment or discrimination, you can seek support via Human Resources (HR@chi.ac.uk) or Student Wellbeing (wellbeing@chi.ac.uk).
The anonymous reporting tool enables us to identify trends and patterns over a period of time and build a picture of issues where people do not feel able to disclose their personal details.
We would encourage anyone completing the anonymous reporting tool to refrain from providing the personal details of themselves or others, including where they are an alleged perpetrator of unwanted behaviour.
In all cases where an individual is to be named, the preference is to speak to either Student Support Services or Human Resources, as relevant, who can advise on all possible options, even if your decision at the end of that discussion is to make an anonymous report.
We know that sharing an experience of behaviour that you have experienced can be distressing. We would encourage you to seek the support that we have available, either as a member of staff or a student.
This depends on the information submitted. The form has been designed with privacy in mind.
Therefore, if the incident involves only students (or a student and a third party), then this information will only be accessible by three postholders within Student Support Services:
- Vito Mastrolonardo, Director of Students, Support and Information Services
- Vanessa Church, Business and Systems Manager
- Becky Pothecary, Lead Nurse Health Advisor/Sexual Violence and Misconduct Liaison Officer.
If the incident involves only staff (or a member of staff and a third party), this information will only be accessible by two colleagues within Human Resources
- Kevin Botto, HR/Professional Development Manager
- Cecile Mould, HR Officer.
If the incident involves both a member of staff and a student, then this will be accessible to all five of the above postholders.
If a large number of incidents are reported as having taken place in a particular area within the grounds of the University, or in a particular subject area, this will be followed up with the Head of Department or the relevant manager in our Senior Leadership Team (SLT). This will be done by aggregating information and minimising the risk of anyone being identified through specific events or interactions mentioned in the form.
Statistical reports will be periodically provided to the Senior Leadership Team, the University’s Board of Governors and the Sexual Misconduct and Harassment Policies Working Group to ensure effective monitoring of submissions. No personal data will be provided.
The University has a number of formal policies available for those making a formal complaint.
For staff, there is:
- Grievance Policy and Procedure
- Dignity at Work, including dealing with complaints of sexual harassment (where both parties are members of staff)
For students, there is:
- Student Complaints Policy
- Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Domestic Abuse, and Bullying & Harassment Involving Students (where both parties are students or one party is a student and the other a member of staff or third party).
These policies allow for a formal investigation to take place and both parties to be supported through the process before determining whether any action needs to be taken.
Students and staff can speak in complete confidence with a member of the Student Support Services team or a member of the Human Resources respectively to understand more about these options without obligation to make a formal complaint.
As stated above, the anonymous reporting tool is used to identify trends and patterns and enable action to be taken more generally, e.g. by making an area of the University safer.
It does not allow for action to be taken, except in very specific circumstances, where there is a safeguarding concern.
For that reason, and so that we can better support you, we always encourage people to come and talk to us about any unwanted behaviour. We do, however, recognise that there will be occasions where people do not feel able to do so.
Making an anonymous report does not prohibit you from making a formal complaint if you change your mind.
Any submission containing personal data will be kept for 6 years. This will allow for patterns and trends to be identified over a period of time in a standardised format.
Where personal data is contained within the submission, this will be deleted after 6 years, however a copy of relevant statistical information (e.g. where the incident took place, on what date, in which department) may be retained beyond this date to allow for a longer period of trend analysis.
