Education

Royal Holloway students highlight gaps in support after sexual assault disclosures

Friday, 26 September 2025 4:02AM UTC

A Royal Holloway student shares how institutional shortcomings left her feeling neglected after a sexual assault, revealing ongoing challenges in university safeguarding measures.

Molly Hanning, a 22-year-old master's student at Royal Holloway, University of London, has spoken out about the inadequate support she received from the university after being raped during the Christmas holidays of her first year. Waiving her right to anonymity to share her experience with the BBC, Molly described a frustrating and isolating process, where university staff gave her leaflets and referred her to external services instead of providing direct and meaningful assistance. She conveyed how she had to repeatedly visit the university in person to secure an appointment and, when finally able to talk to someone, was made to feel the issue was beyond the support team's capacity. Molly was advised to “download an app and do meditation,” which she found insufficient and dismissive, causing a severe deterioration in her mental health during her second year.

Royal Holloway’s executive team, represented by Dr Nick Barratt, acknowledged the profound impact such experiences can have on students and stated the university's commitment to responding with care and integrity. Barratt emphasised that the institution strives to provide compassionate support and that student voices are central to shaping ongoing improvements. He also underlined that the university’s responsibility to support students remains regardless of whether incidents occur on campus.

The university does offer a range of resources and initiatives aimed at supporting students in distress. For instance, the Royal Holloway Students’ Union promotes awareness about healthy relationships and directs students to both internal Wellbeing and Counselling Services and external organisations such as Refuge, Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis, Galop, and Survivors UK. These resources provide vital support options, highlighting the range of help available beyond university services alone.

Moreover, Royal Holloway has implemented the RH Be Heard platform, an online system allowing students to report concerns such as bullying, harassment, and sexual violence either anonymously or by name. It ensures complaints are channelled to the relevant teams, with updates and support throughout the resolution process. The university also maintains a dedicated support page for students who have experienced sexual harm, detailing emergency contacts including campus security and local Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). This offers guidance for students whether they require immediate intervention or wish to explore options for reporting and obtaining ongoing support.

In addition to structural measures, the Dignity Listeners scheme provides trained staff members who act as confidential contacts within the university, supporting colleagues and students facing issues of harassment, discrimination, or sexual misconduct. This initiative offers a confidential and independent avenue for those seeking advice or assistance navigating university procedures.

Despite these provisions, the reality described by Molly Hanning suggests substantial gaps remain between policy and practice. The 'One In Three' campaign run by the Royal Holloway Students’ Union highlights the troubling statistic that one in three female students will experience sexual assault at university, underscoring the critical need for robust support systems. The campaign aims to raise awareness, provide educational resources, and ensure students know where to access help in times of crisis.

The Students’ Union also offers detailed guidance on harassment, reaffirming the university’s commitment to tackling all forms of abuse and encouraging students to report incidents. This reflects an institutional acknowledgement of the problem but again raises questions about the effectiveness of current support when survivors describe feeling neglected or dismissed.

Molly’s experience puts a spotlight on the emotional toll borne by students who survive sexual violence and the urgent need for universities to develop more empathetic, accessible, and comprehensive support frameworks. While Royal Holloway claims to be committed to meaningful change, survivors’ accounts like Molly’s indicate that translating these commitments into action remains a significant challenge.

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Source: Noah Wire Services

More on this

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq65z20pde2o - Please view link - unable to able to access data
https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/news/article/surhul/Lets-Talk-About-Healthy-Relationships/ - This article from the Royal Holloway Students' Union discusses the importance of healthy relationships and provides information on where students can seek support if they have questions or concerns. It lists various resources, including the university's Wellbeing and Counselling Services, as well as external organisations like Refuge, Women's Aid, Rape Crisis, Galop, and Survivors UK. The article also highlights the Advice Centre, a free and confidential service offering general and specialist advice to students.
https://intranet.royalholloway.ac.uk/students/help-support/wellbeing/rh-beheard.aspx/1000 - The RH Be Heard platform at Royal Holloway University allows students to report concerns, resolve complaints, and challenge misconduct through a simple online form. It offers both named and anonymous reporting options for issues such as bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, assault, hate crime, and discrimination. The platform ensures that reports are directed to the appropriate team and provides updates and support throughout the process.
https://intranet.royalholloway.ac.uk/students/help-support/supporting-you-at-royal-holloway/support-for-sexual-violence.aspx - Royal Holloway University is committed to providing a safe and supportive campus environment for all students who have experienced sexual harm. The university offers guidance on emergency help, including contact details for on-campus security and local Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs). It also provides information on what to do if you do not require emergency treatment and outlines options for reporting incidents and accessing support services.
https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-teaching/departments-and-schools/schools/school-of-life-sciences-and-the-environment/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/dignity-listeners/ - The Dignity Listeners scheme at Royal Holloway University involves staff members who serve as confidential points of contact for colleagues facing challenges to their dignity at work, such as bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, or discrimination. These trained individuals provide a safe and confidential environment to discuss concerns, help navigate university policies and procedures, and signpost to appropriate support routes. The scheme aims to offer independent support and complements existing support structures within the university.
https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/voice/campaigns/oneinthree/ - The 'One In Three' campaign by the Royal Holloway Students' Union raises awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault among female students in the UK, highlighting that one in three women students will experience sexual assault at university. The campaign provides a resource hub for education and activism, offering support links and emergency contacts for students affected by sexual violence and harassment.
https://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/about/faq/welfare/harassment/ - This FAQ page from the Royal Holloway Students' Union addresses harassment, including sexual harassment, and outlines the university's commitment to tackling all forms of harassment. It provides information on how to report incidents, available support services, and the college's approach to handling such issues. The page encourages students to report any form of harassment and offers guidance on the steps to take if they experience or witness such behaviour.

Noah Fact Check Pro

The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may warrant further investigation.

Freshness check

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative appears to be original and has not been previously published. The earliest known publication date is 26 September 2025, with no earlier versions found. The article includes updated data and references to recent initiatives, indicating high freshness. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.

Quotes check

Score: 10

Notes: The direct quotes attributed to Molly Hanning and Dr Nick Barratt do not appear in earlier material, suggesting they are original or exclusive content. No identical quotes were found in prior publications, and no variations in wording were noted.

Source reliability

Score: 10

Notes: The narrative originates from the BBC, a reputable organisation known for its journalistic standards, lending credibility to the report. The information about Royal Holloway's support services is corroborated by official university sources, further enhancing reliability.

Plausability check

Score: 10

Notes: The claims made in the narrative are plausible and supported by available evidence. The university's commitment to supporting students who have experienced sexual harm is well-documented, and the initiatives mentioned align with known university policies and campaigns. The tone and language used are consistent with typical corporate and official communications, and there are no signs of excessive or off-topic detail unrelated to the claim.

Overall assessment

Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS

Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH

Summary: The narrative is original, with no evidence of recycled content. The quotes are unique and not found in earlier material. The source, the BBC, is reputable, and the claims made are plausible and supported by available evidence. The overall assessment is positive, with no significant credibility risks identified. The narrative is based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score.

University support
Sexual violence
Student welfare