The University and the Students’ Union are committed to ensuring that all its spaces are safe for both students and staff to study, work, and live in. To achieve this, it is vital that we are clear that our community understands what kinds of cultures and behaviours are unacceptable.
To reinforce this, the university and the UCASU in 22/23 are launching a joint campaign: ‘Consent Matters’. The campaign aims to highlight what we mean by consent, what is not consent and to highlight the support available to students and staff should they experience sexual violence or harassment.
The campaign’s core message is that Consent is enthusiastic, willing participation in sexual activity. A person consents if they give permission to something by choice and have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Where someone is giving permission or saying ‘yes’ to sexual activity with another person(s), it must be enthusiastically and clearly signalled by everyone involved before and throughout. Anything other than yes is a no.
The campaign will support the work already undertaken by the University to prevent and respond to incidents of sexual misconduct. It has introduced a Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedure and funded specialist training for three Sexual Violence Liaison Officers (SVLOs) who support both students and staff. Students and staff are also now able to easily report incidents of sexual violence or harassment through its Report + Support webpage. Reports can be made anonymously or named. Finally, the University has also introduced in 22/23 a module for all staff to complete regarding responding to disclosures of sexual violence.
For more information on what we mean by consent and when it can be given visit the Support pages on Report + Support .
It should be remembered that sexual activity can be physical, verbal, written or online. It includes activities such as the sharing of intimate images of another person, sending sexual images, touching, kissing as well as sex. Where there are existing relationships, consent should always be obtained on every occasion. Behaviour such as that mentioned, if it is unsolicited and without consent, has no place at UCA and breaches the Student and Staff codes of conduct.
It should be remembered that sexual activity can be physical, verbal, written or online. It includes activities such as the sharing of intimate images of another person, sending sexual images, touching, kissing as well as sex. Where there are existing relationships, consent should always be obtained on every occasion. Behaviour such as that mentioned, if it is unsolicited and without consent, has no place at UCA and breaches the Student and Staff codes of conduct.
UCA and the Students’ Union will continue to work together throughout the academic year to raise awareness of consent and will support anyone who has been subjected to unwanted sexual activity.
If you have experienced or witnessed sexual violence or harassment you can report this via our Report + Support platform as well as accessing support.
You can also access support by directly contacting one of our SVLOs via SVLO@uca.ac.uk or the Students’ Union via advice.su@uca.ac.uk