LSESU Consent Week 2017 kicked off last Monday and was devoted to initiatives aimed at creating a consent culture on campus, an effort to, “where all students feel safe in their Union”, as described in a statement by the SU about the week-long event.
Students had a large choice of events to attend, all providing various and useful information about how and why consent is important to all students. An #IWill pledge was taken by students from a stall outside the Saw Swee Hock Student Centre in regards of what they would do to combat sexual harassment and violence. Talks on how to create consent culture on university campuses were also given featuring panellists from NUS – the National Union of Students – and charities that provide support to women and children all around London.
The week comes in support and celebration of LSE’s introduction of sexual consent workshops last September. The “Consent Matters: Boundaries, Respect and Positive Intervention” is an interactive online 30-minutes course followed by a workshop, open to every LSE student.
This workshop, which aims at promoting positive bystander behaviour, is the result of last’s year SU campaign for the introduction of mandatory consent workshops for all undergraduates coming to study here at LSE. Moreover, the AU, joining the SU campaign to tackle harassment and sexual violence, has made the online course mandatory for all students attending this year AU Carol: by purchasing a ticket, students will automatically be enrolled in this course, and not completing it could result in not attending the event.
The Beaver has joined this fight by launching its own “MeToo: LSE speaks” campaign, a powerful collection of stories reporting experiences of harassment and sexual assault here at LSE.
Megan Beddoe, the Activities and Development Officer, on the LSESU website concludes that “LSESU is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all its members, and responding when this environment compromised.”
