Students at Leicester University to Attend ‘Anti-Lad’ Seminars
Leicester University is putting into place mandatory seminars for male and female students that will focus on discouraging inappropriate behaviour on campus.
So called ‘lad culture’ is reportedly a growing concern for universities around the country and is often associated with violence, sexism, sexual harassment, homophobia, revenge porn and excessive drinking.
In a recent study of 2000 students undertaken by the National Union of Students (NUS), it was revealed that two thirds of those polled had at some point witnessed other students being the recipient of sexual comments. NUS also found that around a quarter of students have been groped or subject to inappropriate touching.
The announcement of such information has prompted Business Secretary Sajid Javid to promise to ‘end the evil’ of ‘lad culture’ and sexual harassment on campuses.
He went on to say that the inappropriate behaviour that tends to occur mostly during fresher’s week, such as sexist banter between male students, harassment and sometimes even sexual assault, will not be tolerated. Mr Javid added that just like all parents, he expects his daughters to be just as safe at university as his son.
Tutorials will be put in place at Leicester next year and Chris Sharp, the university’s equality advisor, made clear that all students are to attend. He said:
“We’ll look at tackling issues such as “lad culture” – that inappropriate behaviour mostly displayed by males, but not exclusively, which we’ll do by training our students with things like workshops on consent,”
“Sixty years ago we didn’t have the same issues we have today. I think we need to look at things like common sense – and the effects of alcohol.
“We need to make students sensitive to how their actions affect other people and how they make them feel. The courses will be incorporated into the curriculum, but not before next year.”
A number of students at the university have praised the idea of socially educational seminars, with the president of Leicester University’s feminist society, Maya Hewitt saying:
“I am absolutely thrilled to hear about the anti-lad culture courses. The concept “lad culture” affects the majority of our students and I think it is definitely an issue to tackle.”
According to Miss Hewitt, there is Fresher’s Week trends for older students to have sex with first-years based on the presumption that a high percentage will be virgins. She added:
“This is an issue seeing as though many people will either feel a social pressure to have sex if they’re not ready, in some cases it will be sex without consent and most importantly, there will be a likely absence of respect for one another.”
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Source: Mail Online
