{"id":6686,"date":"2025-07-10T13:07:45","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T11:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/?p=6686"},"modified":"2025-07-10T13:07:45","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T11:07:45","slug":"navigating-social-safety-at-wur-a-students-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/weblog.wur.eu\/international-students\/2025\/07\/10\/navigating-social-safety-at-wur-a-students-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating Social Safety at WUR: A Student’s Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

Overall, I\u2019d consider Wageningen to be a safe environment. I\u2019ve biked home after the last bus at 3 AM more times than I can count, and haven\u2019t really encountered any problems doing so. However, sometimes things happen from time to time, be it creepers or student-on-student misconduct. It\u2019s not easy to discuss this and not stray away from my \u201cmarketing\u201d role in this university, but I do deem it necessary, as a woman and having experienced feeling unsafe going to the university because of another student\u2019s actions.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I want to be clear that I can only speak from my own experience and can\u2019t speak for more severe situations or those that involves direct violence. However, maybe this guide can still serve as a starting point for understanding and showing what type of support exists at WUR. I want to share how I navigated WUR\u2019s resources to help me feel safer in hopes that I could in turn help others do so as well. Especially if, like me, you are an international student living away from the support system you grew up with.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Background Story<\/h2>\n

While my experience wasn\u2019t violent, it did involve someone crossing my boundaries in a way that left me vulnerable and unsupported for a while. The situation involved a fellow student who wouldn\u2019t leave me alone despite setting clear boundaries, going so far as paying unwanted visits. It escalated to a point where I dreaded going to class alone. Eventually, I reached out to WUR\u2019s social safety team, and while the process wasn\u2019t perfect, it taught me a lot about what support is available. It did give me the security to live my life without having to rely on friends to feel safe every time I stepped out of the house again.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Contacting the Social Safety Contact Point* Team<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

My first point of contact of choice at the university was the <\/span>Social Safety Contact Point<\/span><\/a> through their email. The team also have options to do this by phone or fill in a form anonymously if you feel uncomfortable sharing your personal information. They responded fairly quickly and followed up with a phone call within a few days when they asked for more details. I was also given an option to pick who on their team I was most comfortable talking with, who also will be my contact person or confidential counsellor until the case is finished.<\/span><\/p>\n

They were respectful throughout, and never dismissive and asked me what went down, how I was affected and what kind of support I needed. <\/span>I didn\u2019t feel rushed or pushed to a single solution, instead they laid out a couple of different options for me.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>I chose to contact the Social Safety contact point as I wasn’t sure of which steps to take first. However, if you already know who you want to contact, you can also do so directly.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Support Options Offered<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every situation will be different, and the Social Safety Team will give you options most appropriate to your circumstances. Here\u2019s what they made available for me:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n