62 per cent of students experience sexual violence at uni, SUSU want to hear from you in order to change this

62 per cent of students have experienced sexual violence at university, according to a recent national survey, with only 2 per cent saying they felt able to report it and 29 per cent admitting they did not even know how to.

The Sexual Consent Awareness society conducted a mini "Consent in Sports" survey during summer. After collecting all the responses, 62 per cent said they had been sexually assaulted, raped or harassed, and 52 per cent said they knew somebody else in their own, or others’ sports teams who had been. Based on these stats, I think we can all agree that this topic is important to talk about.

People are now calling for a huge emphasis on raising awareness about sexual assault, especially within minority groups. In general, 47 per cent of transgender people are sexually assaulted in their life time, and LGBT+ individuals are four times more likely to develop a serious mental disorder, often associated with the phobic nature of discriminatory offences, including corrective rape.

Additionally, Black and Ethnic Minority (BAME) survivors of sexual assault are the least likely to both access support services and receive adequate support that is "culturally competent" for their needs.

So, the Sexual Consent Awareness Society have been working with the Students' Union over the last few months, conducting a university-wide survey to better understand sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape at Southampton. The research is important in highlighting the need for adequate policies against sexual assault for our students, more accessible support systems, and a harder line on condemning all forms of sexual assault and harassment at uni.

The society are calling for people to fill out their completely anonymous sexual assault survey, to get a better picture of what is actually happening. A spokesperson for the Union said: "We want to ensure all students are safe at university. To inform our campaign, we’d like to know if students, or their friends, have experienced some form of sexual assault during their time at university (this includes outside of campus). Please note that for the safety of those involved, this questionnaire is completely anonymous. This information will only be used to support our efforts to ensure all students are safe at university – it will not be used to identify you."

To fill out the survey, click here.

If any of these topics affect you, here are some support systems you can use:

University of Southampton and the Students’ Union:

The Harassment Tool: An online anonymous reporting tool to report incidents and have a choice to investigate.

The Enabling Services: Drop ins 1-3pm in building 37

Student Life: A 24/7 team within university halls that can be called, or found via your Halls reception,

First Crisis: A first number to call for support on: 02380 597 488

External sources of help:

Yellow Door: Southampton’s Rape crisis charity. Helplines are open on Wednesdays 4pm-7pm. The number to call is: 02380 63 63 13

Treetops Crisis: a crisis charity for survivors open 24 hours on: 0300 123 6616

Male Specific: SURVIVORS UK: A support network for men and boys aiding with their experiences of sexual abuse. They provide legal support and an online chat service for those who need help. to access other support here.

BAME specific: The Angelou Centre: A black woman led movement dedicated to raising awareness of BAME sexual assault and providing holistic support for those affected by sexual abuse.

Also, Yellow Door have a dedicated diversity team who run various workshops for women from minority backgrounds, helping them understand healthy relationships and tailor their support services to ensure those who access it are getting adequate support. Their helpline is open 4pm-7pm on: 023 8063 6313

LGBT+ Specific: Stop Hate UK (campaign): Their helplines: LGBT and Transgender Hate crime: 0808 801 0661 & Learning Disability Hate crime: 0808 802 1155

The LGBT foundation