Student who reported sexual assault at Edinburgh University 'didn't feel believed'

A student who says the University of Edinburgh told her not to contact the police after she reported being sexually assaulted by another student says she didn’t feel believed.

Kate Wilson joined a protest on Thursday over the University’s handling of sexual misconduct complaints.

Chants of “we want justice” were heard echoing through campus as students called for action over the institution’s treatment of gender-based violence.

Kate is in her fourth year and says she was sexually assaulted in her first six weeks of attending the university.

After reporting the incident, her complaint was not upheld.

However, she feels she wasn’t adequately supported through the process and says she was advised not to report it to the police.

Speaking to STV News, she said: “Back then, it was really important to me that I was believed because I’d never reported anything like this.

“I was so young and I get really emotional thinking back on it, just how vulnerable I was and how important it was to me that the institution that I thought was going to protect me would be there.”

The protest comes after STV News reported earlier this week that the university is still investigating a student’s case six months after he pled guilty in court to abusing his ex-girlfriend.

This is the fourth year in a row that students have protested against Edinburgh University’s handling of similar cases.

Many of the students who have been here from the beginning are set to graduate this year, but they hope their campaign work will continue until the concerns are addressed.

One protester said: “A lot of people who have maybe just joined the university or joined two years ago might not know what caused all of this, so we really hope that by continuing this for so long and through speaking out, we will create somewhat of a legacy that the people that come after us have that justice.”

One group of students, called Sex on Campus, have been taking matters into their own hands by putting on workshops around gender-based violence.

A fencing session is aimed at empowering survivors of sexual violence.

The University of Edinburgh says it doesn’t tolerate any form of violence and that all reports are taken seriously.

A spokesperson said: “The safety of our students is our absolute priority and we do not tolerate any forms of violence within our community.

“Any reports made to us are taken very seriously and we have updated and improved our procedures in response to student feedback, ensuring that reports made to us are investigated robustly and fairly for all parties, and that students are supported throughout this process.

“We continue to listen to our student body on their concerns and we are committed to identifying ways to improve the Edinburgh experience for all.”