Tuesday 24-08-2021 - 13:39

 

After a series of lockdowns and many students studying remotely, Welcome Week will most likely be the first time you go on a night out – especially if you’ve only recently turned 18. That’s super exciting and we want you to have the most fun possible to kickstart the beginning of this academic year.

With that in mind, here are some ways to help yourself feel safer when in nightclub settings and empowered to set boundaries when needed.

 

Stay in groups where possible:

It’s easy when you’ve had a drink to get distracted and start chatting to new people and potentially lose the people you came with. Whichever group setting feels safest to you, stick with them. It’s best to stay around larger numbers and not to isolate yourself – that way if anything were to happen, you have plenty of people to help out. This is especially important when leaving a venue or making your way home. On that note, plan your way home! That may seem a bit boring but if you are new to the city, it is a good idea to know the route home so you can notice if the taxi driver takes a different route or if you’ve got on the wrong bus.

 

 

Have control of your drink:

Whatever you’re drinking make sure you have it in your hand and can see it at all times. If you happen to put your drink down somewhere at any point then it’s recommended you don’t drink from it and just sort yourself a new one. If you’re particularly concerned about your drink being tampered with then the charity Drinkaware encourage you to buy bottled drinks in busy settings and either: block the top with a straw, buy a bottle stopper (keeping it in your pocket or bag after use) or putting your thumb over the opening when you’re not drinking it. Where possible as well try to buy your own drinks or have someone you know well and who you trust buy them.

 

Secure your belongings:

Unfortunately pick-pocketers exist in cities across the world and it’s good to be aware of this when going on a night out. Avoid the use of back pockets, bags with easy clasps or bags that don’t do up. If you take a bag with you then one with a zip and an over the top clasp will be the hardest to access. If you usually carry things in your hands or pockets, any garments with zips are better or have your belongings where you can see them or feel them. Avoid taking anything with you that’s irreplaceable (e.g. expensive or sentimental jewellery). It’s often better to avoid cash if possible and if you do use a cash point to do it before it gets dark or with your friends watching whilst your back is turned.

To avoid panic, know how to replace/cancel your cards with your bank – this will be handy if the worst were to happen.

 

Ask for Angela:

Different bars and night venues will have different policies, and a lot of the time these are listed on posters around the venue (particularly in toilet cubicles). If they have an “ask for Angela” style scheme it will usually mean if you mention this codeword to a bartender or member of staff then they will understand that you feel uncomfortable and are in need of some assistance. They will take you somewhere quieter to have a quick chat to see what you need – this may involve removing the person from the venue who is making you feel uncomfortable, ordering you a taxi home or calling someone to assist you.

 

We appreciate that if this is something you need to do on a night out then it can be distressing so we encourage you to reach out to our Advice Service so that they can provide you with the support that you need.

 

For additional safety measures, MMU have provided the following:

“We have worked in collaboration with the Manchester Students Against Public Sexual Harassment group to offer you a free safety alarm. The alarms are a great way to signal you are in need of help and will give you extra peace of mind, particularly if you are travelling alone”.

 

You can collect these free safety alarms from the following location:

• From the Security team on the ground floor of the Cambridge Halls of Residence. Opening times are 10:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Friday.

 

Sometimes things are unavoidable and unfortunately people can make you feel unsafe on a night out no matter the precautions you take. If you are in danger call 999.

If you ever have a bad experience when out during your time here in Manchester then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with The Union. Our Advice Service can be found on the Second Floor of The Union building for you to make an appointment to speak to someone. You can also email them at s.u.advice@mmu.ac.uk or call them on 0161 247 6533.