Student safety

Lincolnshire is a fantastic place to study. It boasts a thriving academic community in a historical city with plenty of shops, restaurants and nightlife.  

The county is also one of the safest in the UK. Whether you are a first year fresher, or just about to graduate, it is important to consider your safety whilst you study and have fun.

Check out some student-specific tips on personal safety from Lincolnshire Police:

Property

There are simple measures you can take to keep yourself and your property safe:

• Keep your doors and windows locked whenever you are out.
• Be mindful of tailgaters to your building.  Don’t be afraid to challenge someone who tries to enter the building without a key or pass.
• Keep your high value items such as laptops and tablets out of sight and secure when you are not using them.
• Consider marking your property. We recommend that you mark and register your property and advertise the fact using window stickers. You can register your property FOR FREE using Immobilise, a national, police approved database. See our property registration and marking page for more details.

Moving to a new flat or area

If you are moving out of student accommodation or moving to a new flat, check its security before moving in. When living with a group of friends there will always have to be compromises; just make sure it’s not on the security of the property. 

• Get to know the area you are moving to.  Speak to other students and check the crime statistics at www.police.uk
• Check the security of the property. Are the doors and windows secure? Does the property have an alarm? How many different people have keys? Read our home security pages for further advice.
• Find out if the property registered with an approved scheme or code of practice. This will ensure that it has the appropriate safety and security certifications such as fire precautions, gas appliance safety and appropriate locks.
• Don’t sign a contract until you are absolutely sure that the property is right for you.

Spiking

Spiking, where someone adds drugs or alcohol to another person’s drink without them knowing, is illegal. Whether it’s done as a prank or with the intent to steal from or assault the victim here are some ways to avoid this happening to you or your friends.

Never lose sight of your drink

It can take only minutes for someone to feel the effects of a spiked drink. Memory loss can be a side effect of many of the drugs used to spike drinks. Many victims are unaware of what has happened to them, and have very little memory of the incident, if any at all.

The best way to protect yourself and your friends from being spiked is to be aware of what you consume and never take a drink that you haven’t seen being prepared in front of you. Never leave your drink unattended, even for a moment, and if it doesn’t taste right, don’t finish it.

If you or your friends start to feel strange or unwell then you should get help and seek medical advice straight away.

Be vigilant if you're drinking with strangers

When you go out for an evening you never know who you’re going to meet, so always keep your wits about you. If someone appears to be over-friendly and eager to get you to drink, be vigilant.

If you get separated from your friends in a bar, pub or club, let them know where you are. If you happen to meet new company and they ask you to go on somewhere else, introduce them to your friends and tell them where you’re going.

Be a drink buddy

If you're out with a friend, or friends, keep an eye out for them. If they appear to be more drunk than you'd expect, dizzy or slurring their words, take control and make sure they’re okay. If you’re concerned, make sure they either get medical help or get home safely.

For further information about spiked drinks, visit Drink Aware.

Report it

If you are in immediate danger, call us on 999.

For any other incidents of being a victim of crime, you can report by calling 101 or report it online.

More help and support

For further advice or recommendations, contact our Crime Prevention Advisors

See our general advice on safety and crime prevention or email [email protected]

Advice and help on drugs: talktofrank.com