Uni refuses to remove ‘victim-blaming and scaremongering’ video

Uni management are ignoring fury over the “Madame Fromage” video that has incensed students all over campus. 

The “clueless” Clued-Up campaign has been slammed by both students and local rape charity, Rape and Support Aberdeen, as “victim-blaming” and “pretty awful”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmuzXJlhqSU&list=UUglpk7G2qVRgzPGWLrJJ2DQ

Now the university is under fire for not removing the video despite numerous complaints made to AUSA because of its “disgusting and patronising” message. One female student said: “I don’t actually know what to say about it, I’m quite shocked that the university have really broadcast this as a serious campaign. It looks like they’re trying to target five-year-olds.”

The animation has also been heavily criticised for down-playing sexual assault. A male student said: “I felt the video was very inappropriate as it trivialises a serious subject like rape and sexual assault.

He went on to condemn the clip for its racist undertones: “It plays to racist stereotypes about accents. The fact there was a ‘black sounding’ character called OJ is horrible.”

The clip has been blasted for racially stereotypical characters.

And he agreed when other students branded it “victim-blaming, scaremongering, with no cohesive message”. He added: “It offers no useful advice on how to actually stay safe on a night out. This is not the message we should be sending to students. It makes them live in fear when the opposite is actually the true in Aberdeen.

“Also, it’s not strangers that we have to be so terrified of but often sexual assaults are committed by someone you know. It’s not a useful video and I would like to see it removed.”

The uni’s impression of a female student.

President for Welfare and Equal Opportunities, Genna Clarke, met with Rape and Support Aberdeen to discuss the negative impact of the video. She said: “It is causing students distress and all students I’ve spoken to about it have expressed concern, anger or have felt patronised by the video.

“Further to this, as I’ve said before, the victim blaming in the video is outrageous.

“I’m also really disappointed that I’ve had no response despite several emails to the department who created and commissioned the video.”

“It looks like they’re trying to target five year olds.”

The out-of-touch clip is targeted at freshers, although it comes across as an animation for children.

In it, a group of stereotypical Scottish characters discuss where “Madame Fromage” has disappeared to after a night out.

They discuss that she chose to go out drinking, that she chose to go with two of her male friends, and that she chose to walk home alone.

And although it’s clear the assumption is she has been assaulted, at no point is the onus put on the attacker.

Amy Baxter, a third year, said: “For the university to imply that having a drink, friends of the opposite sex, and wearing heels are all “irresponsible” things to do completely disregards the fact that they are victims to a crime.

“The message which should have been portrayed to new students is rape is wrong and that looking out for one and other at night is one of the important ways to stay safe.”