It’s sexual consent awareness week!

This week is Southampton’s first ever sexual consent awareness week. We caught up with one of the people who got the ball rolling, final year student Arun Aggarwal who, along with Lii Mohammed and Greg Williams, has been involved with the project since the very beginning.

How did the idea come about?

Well I can’t speak for the other guys, but I think we just wanted awareness to be raised – it’s not something that’s very prevalent in Southampton but it happens, and it’s horrible, and if we can help someone who’s suffered through it, or start paving the way for it to stop altogether, I think that would be amazing. Also, I think the point of it being student led, from the bottom up will hopefully mean that it persists, and doesn’t fade when we go. It’s good for other students who don’t do a lot with the Union or Uni as Greg, Lii and I do, to get involved and run something like this, as it’s so fresh and is (dare I say) one of the most engaged things I’ve seen the Union do this year

What’s going on this week?

Today

A sexual consent tree will be set up in the Students’ union reception today, asking students how they define consent – and using some of the responses from the Soton Tab’s sexual consent survey. This will be followed with information on how to get home safely – with the Radio Taxis student scheme and info about the union safety bus. At 10pm, SCA takes over Orange Rooms, Tokyo and 90 degrees for a traffic light sticker party.

Wednesday

Sexpression will be on social media, giving out accurate facts about sexual consent, and there’s a consent and sexual violence workshop on campus.

Thursday

There’s a screening of the Hunting Ground at Union films, followed by some great tunes in Sexual Consent Awareness karaoke at the Stag’s, raising money for charity.

Friday 

On Friday afternoon, there’s performing arts and dance showcases on the Redbrick. Sobar again plays host to all things SCA for a night of revelry!