Former Newcastle student raped in Freshers’ Week speaks out on potential dangers

TW: This article includes mentions of SA and rape 

Florence Carter was raped last September while in her final year of university by a man posing as a student.

She has since spoken out to warn students about the possible dangers in Freshers’ Week. 

In a statement published by LBC News, Florence said that Freshers’ Week is a unique time in the university calendar when “no one knows anyone” and “people can pretend to be who they want to be”. 

“I was going into my third year when the assault happened. That’s why I was so desperate to raise awareness, because you don’t have to be a fresher for this to happen. I thought I knew Freshers’ Week very well.”

Florence met her attacker at a house party, believing him at the time to be another student. 

She explained, “It was only when he tricked me into coming to his house that he told me he wasn’t. Then I realised he lived alone so I was trapped there with no witnesses.”

The experience left Florence in shock. 

“I didn’t know what had happened to me. I fully didn’t know how I had survived it. I came home and was very confused.”

She contacted the university’s wellbeing service the next day but was unable to find appropriate assistance. 

“They sent me an automated email with some links to a rape charity. I replied to them to try and access counselling and they never replied to me again.”

Florence has turned her experience into a campaign raising awareness of sexual violence at universities around the country, through videos posted on her Instagram and TikTok, as well as conducting her own research. 

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Through recent Freedom of Information requests, she found that almost a third of sexual assaults reported at 14 UK universities last year took place within the first six weeks of term.   

In a video posted to her Instagram account, Florence shares tips: “Don’t believe everyone as quickly as you would in other situations.

“Chances are you’ll get to meet these people again, and realise they were exactly who they said they were. That’s great – that will be 9/10 the experience. 

“But it’s just that 1 per cent of the time, and in Freshers’ Week especially, people can be whoever they want to be, so just be careful even though we really shouldn’t have to be.”

A 2025 survey by the Office of Students found that 24.5 per cent of final-year undergraduates who responded to the survey had experienced sexual harassment since starting their studies. Around one in seven (14.1 per cent) have experienced sexual violence.

13.2 per cent of respondents who experienced sexual harassment in the preceding year made a formal report to their university or college. Of those who did make a report, 46.7 per cent said their experience of reporting was good and 39.3 per cent said it was poor.

A spokesperson for Newcastle University said: “We are deeply sorry for the distress this student has experienced and our thoughts are with her.

“In line with our survivor-led approach, when a student contacts our wellbeing services, an advisor will initially seek to make contact by telephone or in person. The student is made aware of a range of support and reporting options, enabling them to make informed choices about how they would like to proceed.

“We work closely with our Students’ Union to provide students with information and resources aimed at preventing sexual violence, while also ensuring they are aware of the support services available should they need them.

“All new and returning students have consent and bystander training as a core part of their online induction, and also have the option of in person training.”

Featured image: @flo.flips.it (Instagram)  

If you or someone you know is affected by this news, you can seek support via Samaritans, Northumbria University’s mental health service, or Newcastle University‘s wellbeing support.