Staying Safe in the City

Cardiff is a great place to live, but as with any city, it’s important to take sensible precautions. We encourage you all to look after yourselves when you go out at night. There are simple things you can do to help you get home safely, including:

  • Plan ahead, or at least try to! - Planning how you will get home before you go out, and making sure you put aside the means to help you get home – save £10 for that taxi, keep your return bus ticket safe, or keep your Student ID card close by.
  • Guys, gals and non-binary pals - Stay in pairs or groups while walking around at night. Make sure you are in company that you can trust, or that a reliable friend knows where you are.
  • Know the area - If you’re not confident in your knowledge of the area, sticking to well-lit, populated areas.
  • Heading Home - Making a note of your term time address on your phone! For many, a new academic year means a new student home. Prevent yourself from being lost or stranded by keeping your address accessible.
  • “ICE” – mark on your contacts a trusted individual as a key contact in case of an emergency. This could be your parent or guardian, or a housemate or friend that you know you can rely on.
  • Student Advice – Perhaps while lining your stomachs(!), check out our Adviser’s Practical Safety Tips on our website.

If you are at risk of harm on a night out, we would always advise you to call 999. You may also be able to seek help or shelter from nearby security guards or bouncers if you need to escape a potentially dangerous situation.

Cardiff Students’ Union has been working with local partners for many years to deliver other initiatives that will help to safeguard your personal safety at night. Our existing initiatives are available to any Cardiff University student to use:

Safe Taxi Scheme - If you’re travelling home in the early hours of the morning and find that you have run out of cash to get you a taxi home, the Safe Taxi Scheme has been established by Cardiff Students’ Union, and Dragon Taxi. This scheme enables you to jump in a Dragon Taxi on the night, provide your name and student number, and to have your taxi temporarily funded by the Students’ Union. Just visit the Finance Office at the Students’ Union over the following few days to reimburse your fare.

The Cardiff Safety Bus - patrols the city centre every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night and will provide help to anyone who needs it.

SafeZone app: Cardiff University subscribes to the SafeZone app for staff and students. This is a quick and easy way to alert Cardiff University Security Services if you need help or assistance while on Campus.

Support and Advice

Further to the above, if you need support or advice, there are plenty of people on campus who can help:

  • Cardiff University’s Disclosure Response Team are best placed to respond to disclosures of violence and abuse that may have occurred on your night out.
  • Cardiff Students’ Union's Student Advice can talk to you about talk to you about any difficult experience you may have had, and to signpost you to support services that may be most appropriate. They can also ask professionals to get in touch with you too.
  • Cardiff University’s Counselling and Wellbeing Team can support you if you are experiencing personal, emotional or psychological difficulties, or just interested in living a healthier lifestyle.