Royal Holloway is one of the pilot unis for the NUS ‘I love consent’ campaign

The union wants to challenge lad culture


Royal Holloway is reportedly one of the pilot institutions for the NUS ‘I love consent’ campaigns and has been delivering the workshops to students in various clubs and societies.

According to the NUS website, the aim of the campaign was to educate students about consent in order to help create educational and social environments which are happier, safer and more inclusive. They want to combat rape culture and victim blaming by tackling myths, rectifying problematic perspectives of consent and helping students understand that sexual activity without consent is a crime in which only the perpetrator can be blamed.

Through a college and SU collaboration, staff awareness will be raised using a new welfare guide which was launched this year as well as empowering students to create a positive consent culture by taking part in advocating access to inclusive sex and relationship education in universities, colleges and in schools.

There are also on campus facilities for students who wish to have health support or screening after an assault. Over the last couple of years, the sexual health provisions have been enhanced to include sexual health advice clinics, STU testing and a GUM clinic all of which are provided discreetly and supportively within our own Health Centre. As well as being an invaluable resource in the follow up to a report, these services being available on campus help discussions on all issues relating to sexual relationships, consent and assault with students and reduces the stigma of such discussions.

The SU has also passed a policy confirming their commitment to zero tolerance of harassment in their venues which works in tandem with the College Code of Practice on Personal Harassment.