Raising Awareness of Sexual Harassment Towards Women at University
A Campaign Led by Kyia Thompson,
Women's Rep for Cambridge
My name is Kyia Thompson and I am your Women’s Rep for Cambridge. My role is to represent female students by ensuring their voices are heard. My campaign is focused on raising awareness of sexual harassment towards women at university. In 2010, the National Union of Students (NUS) released a report highlighting the prevalence of sexual harassment at university - 68% of UK students experience sexual harassment (NUS, 2010). I want to start a conversation surrounding this figure and encourage female students to speak out and seek support. Student Services has recently launched a section on their website dedicated to sexual respect at university. It is here that students can find links to internal and external support networks.
AIMS: My aim is to hold an academic panel that will bring together students and academics that are interested in raising the awareness of sexual harassment towards women at university.
UPDATES: We held our panel on Thursday, 8th of February. The panel, ‘Time’s Up for Sexual Harassment: Twitter Trend or New Dawn on the Horizon?’, was a huge success. 80+ tickets were sold. Panellists from both Anglia Ruskin University and the University of Cambridge were questioned and held to account by students about how they are addressing sexual harassment at university and what they think the future holds for this Twitter trend. Myself and Laura Douds, VP for FST, chaired the panel, as can be seen below!
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT: Laura Douds (Vice President for Science and Technology) and I were approached by Grace Anderson from Cambridge University Students' Union last week regarding a collaboration with ARU Students' Union for the 'Reclaim the Night' march. The march will take place on Sunday the 11th March 2018 starting at 5:30 pm on Parker's Piece. More information can be found here.
The march is open to non-binary individuals and those that self-identify as female. I have been invited to lead a block on the night, and students from ARU are encouraged to sign-up for stewarding training which will take place on Monday the 5th of March from 5pm to 6pm (sign up here). As well stewarding training, there will be an evening dedicated to banner making on Thursday the 8th of March from 5pm onwards in the Students' Union space at Peter Taylor House.
