run compulsory consent workshops for freshers university wide
Sarah Eames submitted on
Tuesday 11th December 2018
Complete
As per the Guardian article (March 2018), 62% of students and graduates have experienced sexual violence. In other universities it is compulsory for all first years to complete workshops during their fresher's week which educates them on consent and what this means practically. I am embarrassed that Southampton University does not provide the same. The Yellow Door runs workshops in Southampton. They could attend our university near the start of the first years' term and provide workshops. I believe that this would make a huge difference to the prevelence of rape across the university.
Responses
Here, you can view the complete set of official responses from the sabbatical officers regarding this submission.
Students' Union replied on
Sunday 13th Jan 2019 2:18pm
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your submission, as per our email conversation (I will share my response here so it can be read publically too) I am looking into developing a welfare module for all new students. This module I hope will ensure that all students who arrive to study at UoS will have a core understanding of welfare issues, including; self-care, consent, sexual health, support services available, healthy relationships etc.
In terms of sexual consent awareness raising, in the month of February SUSU and Sexual Consent Awareness (SCA) Society are running a sexual health and consent awareness month. This will include a poster campaign around campus and on social media that promotes the meaning of consent and myth busting facts about the level of sexual harrasment, assault and rape. In addition, a varitey of events will be taking place. Please look out for our marketing with more information and also you can contact SCA President, Laura Barr, if you would like to help with the month in anyway or run any event tailored to students in your faculty!
If you're interested in being part of sustainability discussions in SUSU, please do attend our next Sustainability Zone meeting (open to all) that is taking place 10-12 on the 7th February in SUSU Building 42.
Best wishes,
Isabella Camilleri
VP Welfare
University of Southampton Students' Union
Actions
Forwarded to Student Life
Friday 14th Dec 2018 1:47pm
Comments
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The vast majority of people know how to conduct themselves, and the people that don't simply don't care what they do. A consent workshop won't stop them from raping someone. I'd rather withdraw from the union than attend one. Neither am I paying a significant amount of money for a university education to have to sit down in a class and be told no means no.
