Cardiff is a great city to live in, and you should enjoy your new surroundings safely. Check out our personal safety tips and support information below.
If you have concerns about your personal safety, please visit the Contacts page to learn more about reporting your concerns.
When living in a city environment, there are precautions you can take to help to keep yourself safe:
- Plan ahead. Know where you are going, how you are getting there and who you are meeting. Always plan your return journey, and inform friends of your whereabouts.
- Never accept a lift from a stranger or someone you do not know well – no matter how tired, wet or late you are.
- Walking at night? Go out as a group and come home as a group. Stick to busy, well-lit areas. Avoid risky shortcuts through alleys and deserted areas.
- Walk confidently and avoid carrying too much at any one time. Always try to keep one hand free.
- Stay aware of your surroundings. Remember that chatting on the phone or listening to music can distract you from what’s going on around you.
There are many ways there are a wide range of safety apps and support which aims to keep students safe in Cardiff.
Safezone App (Available for Cardiff University and University of South Wales Students)
The Safezone App is a quick and easy way to alert Security Services or South Wales Police when you need help or assistance.
You can use the Safezone app to send a location-based alert from your smartphone, if you need an emergency response, first-aid or general security assistance. When you are on campus, SafeZone can also show you where you are on a map in a variety of formats.
SafeZone allows you to communicate with security officers via text message, which means it’s accessible for people with hearing, speaking or visual impairments.
Callmy App (Available for Cardiff Metropolitain University Students)
Cardiff MET students can subscribe to the “Callmy Alert” safety app. Visit https://www.callmy.com/ for more information.
Safe Places App
The Safe Places App can help find and get to safe havens when you are out and out in the community.
If there isn’t a Safe Place within a 15 minute walk, the App will automatically offer to call the non-emergency 101 number for you, to get you help over the phone
Visit https://forasafercardiff.com/ for more information and to download the app.
Ask for Angela
The Ask for Angela scheme helps members of the public get help or ask for assistance from staff in participating venues. If you getting unwanted attention or feeling unsafe, you can ask staff ‘Is Angela here?’ and they will discreetly support you and get you out of that situation and the help that you might need.
To find out more and check participating venues, visit Home – Safe Places (forasafercardiff.com)
South Wales Police – Ways to connect
There are lots of ways to contact South Wales Police and find out more information on keeping safe.
You can follow and message South Wales Police on Facebook and Instagram, as well as using the Live Chat function on the website.
Remember – always call 999 in an emergency and call 101 when it’s less urgent.
For crimes in progress, if it is possible then stay on the line to advise what is going on and where people are going. This helps identify vehicles and offenders.
Some examples for 999 might be people trying car door handles, front doors, fights or someone who has just been sexually assaulted by an offender who may still be nearby.
If something happened overnight or the offenders have left the scene some time ago, use 101 or report it online Report | South Wales Police (south-wales.police.uk)
Your university policing team on are often on campus, they are friendly and always happy to help. They also hold regular student meetings to discuss any issues you may have – just ask your officer for more details or contact the Student Liaison Team by emailing SwpStudentLiaisonCardiff@south-wales.police.uk
You can also use the South Wales Listens platform, which allows direct messaging to local PCSOs and the neighborhood policing team to address concerns. It’s a free service for sharing worries, suggesting changes, and collaborating for community improvement. Users can also request information, such as crime prevention advice, updates on incidents, and details about local police activities.
To find out more, visit South Wales Listens at https://www.southwaleslistens.co.uk/
Make sure your night is memorable for all the right reasons. REMEMBER…
- Avoid drinks that you have not seen being poured, and never leave a drink unattended
- Keep to well-lit areas when walking between pubs and clubs
- Never go home with strangers. Stay with your friends when you’re out, and make sure you all go home together
- Psychoactive substances – A blanket ban can into effect in the UK in 2016. Please consider your safety first, drugs can have harmful and even lethal side effects and can be very addictive.
Wales Drug & Alcohol Helpline
Freephone: 0808 808 2234 Or text DAN to: 81066 See more at: dan247.org.uk
Spiking is the act of giving someone alcohol or drugs without that person’s consent. Spiking is illegal, and it is never the fault of the person who has been spiked.
Visit the Contacts page to find ways to get support and report incidents of spiking.
Laptops, tablets and mobile phones are must have items for criminals, as well as students. Just think about losing all that work on your computer, and those contacts stored on your phone – not good! Be sensible with your gadgets and keep them safe and secure…
- Carry your laptop around only when you have to. Keep it hidden out of sight securely in your bag and never leave it unattended.
- Make sure your laptop is marked using a UV pen with a postcode, house number, student number and university initials. Also activate or download tracking devices on your phones and laptops.
- Register all your possessions for free on immobilise.com, this will help us return items to you if they get lost or stolen.
- Be sensible when using your mobile in public – don’t have it on show sat in the back pocket of your jeans!
- Keep a record of your phone IMEI number, which is a unique code usually found behind your phone battery. If your phone does get stolen, be sure to cancel it with your network provider. This will block the SIM card.
Never get into an unlicensed vehicle or if someone approaches you on the street.
All taxis must be licensed in Cardiff, and there are specific rules taxi drivers must follow. To find out more, visit the Travel page.
No money? – Safe taxi scheme – If you are a Cardiff University or Cardiff Metropolitan University student and do not have money on you to get home, you can use the Safe Taxi Scheme. Find out more visit the Cardiff University SU website or Cardiff Metropolitan SU website.
The internet plays a big part in student life. So whether you’re conducting research for your studies, buying course books, or keeping in touch with friends, make sure you stay cyber-safe.
- Use secure computers with updated security software.
- Only shop on trusted and reputable sites; look for the padlock symbol in the web address bar.
- Keep log-in details and passwords private.
- Never give out personal details such as your name and address online.
- Keep all your records of online transactions
Ticket Fraud
If purchasing tickets online, check the means of payment. If it is PayPal “friends and family”, make sure you can validate who the person is first as you cannot get your money back once you send it. Always check names against email addresses involved. Don’t pressure yourself to buy things quickly.
Rental Fraud
If looking to rent a room from an advert on Facebook or elsewhere online, can you verify whether it is available to rent? Is there a letting agent you can call. Always question any request to pay a deposit to an individual.
Sextortion
Before you send anything online, take a breather and think. Do you know this person and do you trust them? This could end up online somewhere so be careful what you send.
Turn off your geo-location tags on your phone before sending images to someone else. Some mobile phones and digital cameras automatically attach data to the photo file that identifies where the picture was taken, so turning this function off helps you to avoid a situation where someone you met online might be able to trace your movements.