Thursday 30-01-2025 - 11:34

 

 

Stop Sexual Misconduct & Harassment is a campaign led by your LUSU Wellbeing Officer, Ella Smith.

 

 

Hi, I am Ella, and I am your elected Wellbeing Officer in the Students’ Union.  
Leading up to and during my time as Full-Time Officer, I have had many opportunities to chat with students, to find out what issues you and your communities are facing.  
 
Across the many conversations I’ve had, there has been one topic that comes up the most: sexual misconduct & harassment. From this, I made one of my pledges as an officer to prioritise safety for students, specifically challenging the University to implement a more robust policy on sexual misconduct and harassment. It’s worth saying that this is not the first time issues have been raised by students and the SU, for many years we have lobbied the University for change and improvement. 
 
Reclaim the Night, #MeToo, and Everyone’s Invited are just a few of the movements led by women fighting to change the narrative, and yet feminist leaders are drowned out by voices who spread dangerous and degrading thoughts on women and how they should be treated. This isn’t to say men aren’t impacted, a 2020 UK Government Equalities survey found that 60% of men would also experience sexual harassment in their lifetime.  
 
Levels of sexual misconduct and harassment are increasing across society, including at our own university. The National Union of Students found 20% of students have experienced unwanted sexual behaviour. Lancaster has seen the number of reports of sexual misconduct double in the last year compared to the year before. This does not include those who have not reported their case, nor those who have ongoing investigations with the police already. 
 
Now is a better time than any to speak up.   
The Office for Students (OfS) is placing new requirements on higher education providers to protect students from sexual misconduct, meaning the university must align its policies to this standard. We must ensure the university goes beyond meeting the minimum requirements to examine what can be strategically done to address rape culture once and for all. Recently, we are also seeing the emergence of the student campaign group ‘Consent Collective’, whose president bravely spoke up about their experience being a victim of sexual assault whilst at university. In their testimony, they spoke about their subsequent experience of going through the university’s reporting procedure, and the failings of this system which resulted in the perpetrator being allowed to graduate from the University, despite being convicted in a court and placed on the sex offender register. This from a University that does “not tolerate sexual misconduct”. 
 
This is just one of the reasons we are calling on Lancaster University to: 

1. Actively apply a zero tolerance policy to sexual misconduct & harassment.
2. Implement a clear student engagement plan in the review of the policy.
3. Ensure every student gets high-quality consent & active bystander training.
4. Improve ease of access to reporting and support processes.

 
It is time for the University to finally listen to its students and put their safety and wellbeing first. Students' voices need to be at the centre of the new policy, and not just part of the ‘consultation’.  
 
Sexist jokes, catcalling, hazing, and harassment are all becoming increasingly normalised. These behaviours of victimisation, degradation and acts of violence are what we need to work collectively to address alongside making change to institutional processes at Lancaster. 
 
We acknowledge this culture likely perpetuates within our own clubs and societies and as your Students’ Union we are committed to reviewing our own policies to look at how they align with the guidelines of the OfS to ensure the greatest safety of our students. 
There might be critics who say this work isn’t needed at Lancaster or downplay the issue. I challenge this and say that the engagement this campaign and the Consent Collective has seen, in such a short space of time, demonstrates clearly how urgent this matter really is to our students. 
 
A demonstration will take place next Thursday in Alex Square at 12:30, join me in taking a stand against sexual misconduct and harassment by holding the University and each other to higher standards. Together, we will be heard.  

 

 

If you have been affected by any of the themes in this article, there are a number of support services available; 

LUSU Advice  
Our advice service supports all students at Lancaster University with a range of issues, they are confidential, independent and impartial. You can contact them via email at lusuadvice@lancaster.ac.uk to arrange an appointment.  

Victim Support 
Can support anyone affected by crime. Not only those who experience it directly, but also their friends, family and any other people involved. Call their Support line free of charge on 0808 16 89 111 available 24/7. Visit the Victim Support website here.  

Safeline  
Provides a comprehensive range of specialist, best practice services to anyone affected by or at risk of sexual violence. Contact via phone on 01926 402 498 (Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, please note this is not a crisis line).  

Rape Crisis  
Provides a free phone and online chat service for anyone aged 16+ in England and Wales who has been affected by rape, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, sexual harassment or any other form of sexual violence. Call free on 0808 500 2222 open 24/7. 

Birchall Trust  
Offers support to anyone affected by rape, sexual abuse or sexualised violence in Cumbria or Lancashire.  
North Lancs Phone: 01524 239595. Visit the Birchall Trust website here.