What to do if something happens

Unfortunately bad things do happen. The first step is to try to stay calm and focused. The worst thing you can do is to stay quiet about the incident and work through it on your own.

Steps you should take

• Inform the local police and/or campus security. It is a good idea to ask for the police report number for your own reference. In the case of theft you will need the police report number for insurance purposes.

• Talk to a friend. You will need support and assistance. Depending on the nature of what went wrong you might want to tell more than one person.

• Inform the host coordinator. They can provide further assistance and advice. The host coordinator has an important role to play in terms of assisting you to access the respective support services provided by the host university. For example, they can assist you to access the student counseling services available to students.

• If you struggle to cope with the incident and the related stress, seek professional help. Universities normally have counselling services and support available for students; speak to your host coordinator in terms of how to access it.

• Most importantly, don’t isolate yourself or keep quiet.