Staying safe in Leamington: a students guide to navigating nightlife

In early October, The Boar conducted a survey investigating what students at the University of Warwick felt were the biggest issues in the local social scene after dark. Home to popular nightclubs Neon and Smack, as well as a variety of pubs and bars, Leamington Spa is the local hot spot for a night out for Warwick students. The survey’s results showed that, of those who responded, 40% go clubbing once a week and 23% go multiple times a week, yet 80% of respondents said that they have felt unsafe on a night out in Leamington. Students’ main concerns included spiking, stalking, pushing and shoving, homophobic or racist abuse, and sexual violence. Anyone who has suffered any form of violence or aggression on a night out is never to blame for what has happened, regardless of how drunk they were or what they were wearing. However, there are steps and precautions we can take to remain as safe as possible and still rightfully enjoy our nights in the local area.

Find a good group of friends and stick with them

As a young woman, I have been conditioned to take precautions in order to stay safe in public since a very young age, especially after dark. Although there are only so many precautions we can take – aggression, be it physical or verbal, continues to happen. Here are some helpful tips I have learnt from friends and past experiences that have ensured my nights out are as fun and comfortable as possible.

Find a good group of friends and stick with them! Not only will a large group of people make your night more enjoyable, but there is also safety in numbers. My friends and I always keep a rule of two: no one is allowed to be left by themselves, even if it’s just a quick toilet trip, and will always be accompanied by someone else. This also applies when travelling to and from clubs or bars. Bolt and Uber (and other taxi apps) have a helpful feature to share your journey with friends, so make the most of this to keep track of anyone travelling home by themselves. Staying with friends has endless benefits, as it also guarantees you have someone to hold (and cover) your drink while you have gone to the toilet or smoking area, and it means whoever wants to leave is able to when they want, without making the whole group leave with you.

If something or someone does not feel safe or is making you uncomfortable, trust your gut

As a general rule, I rarely drink beyond my limits. This is of course for safety reasons, but also has health and sleep benefits, as well as saving you money. Within overcrowded public spaces in which you are getting pushed and shoved around, I find it crucial to always be aware of my surroundings while still having a good time. Those busy, overwhelming spaces are when things can go wrong: non-consensual touching, and spiking are crimes much easier to commit and more difficult to spot as the perpetrator can quickly lose themselves in a sea of arms and legs. It is always fun to let loose on a night out as long as you can maintain awareness of your surroundings and don’t suffer from too much memory loss. What’s more, that anxious hangover the next morning is never worth it.

There are plenty of general rules to stick to on a night out such as not talking to or accepting lifts from strangers, keeping to well-lit routes when walking through Leamington or campus, and always trusting your gut feeling. If something or someone does not feel safe or is making you uncomfortable, trust your gut and get yourself and friends out of that situation as quickly as possible. It is an unfortunate fact that no matter what precautions we put in place, we may always still feel unsafe on nights out and acts of violence and aggression will still happen. Should something happen to you, Warwick University and the local community have support lines to offer help and support:

For general enquires to Community Safety regarding safety concerns on campus, harassment and stalking, first aid, and emergencies, use this contact number and email:
Phone: 024 7652 2083
Email: Community.Safety@warwick.ac.uk

For direct emergencies:
Phone: 024 7652 2222

Warwick also offer their nightline service, which is a student-led, confidential and non-judgemental support listening service. They have a variety of ways to contact them should you have any concerns or should anything happen to you on a night out. Open from Monday to Friday, 9pm-9am, through calls, and Saturday and Sunday, 9pm-1am, through their instant messaging service. More information can be found on their website at https://warwick.nightline.ac.uk/.

Sexual violence and general inappropriate or aggressive behaviour is unacceptable in all its forms. However, it is a very real reality for countless Warwick students who enjoy the local nightlife. You are not alone, and whatever may happen, it is not your fault and there is help available.