The ignorance of sexual harassment amongst students

The ever-arising presence of ‘ladism’ in Universities is proving to be the route of sexual harassments amongst students.

It’s a Wednesday night, but that really doesn’t matter. Time fails to exist here. You can’t hear the sound of a clock ticking by 
acting as a reminder that your deadline is approaching. Nor can you hear the distressed 'no' leaving a trembling mouth. The only sound that exists here is the music penetrating your skin. The only reality here is intoxicant thirst quenchers coupled with colourful capsules and short skirts. '#shamelessselfies', nonchalant kissing and endless dancing are amongst the few activities that reigns here. Yes, I'm talking about clubbing. More specifically, student nightlife and all the wonderful horrors harassment that comes along with it.  

Southampton is notoriously known for it’s wild nights. It’s up there with the best amongst London, Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle. But the city is also host to a new indignity, an indignity that is frequently being humoured and normalised by the masses. An indignity known all too well by 21-year-old student, Ella Stanley: “I love being a student. I’m in my third year now and I’m going to be devastated when it ends. But as much fun as it is, when you’re with the girls, having a drink, a dance and letting your hair down, I don’t think it can cover the fact of what it’s like to be a girl, in a club where you get constantly grabbed.”

Ella says she’s not the only one that feels this way when it comes to student nightlife: “The scary thing is, I couldn’t just tell you one story of sexual harassment, I could tell you several. And this is all too familiar for most British students that are regular club goers.

“Quite recently, my friends and I were walking down the street to go Switch, a popular club in Southampton, when this guy came out of a shop, looked at my breasts and said ‘nice tits on you, love’ and physically put his hands on them. Me and my friends pushed him away and carried on walking, but he was still hurling obscenities at us. And that was just on the way to club. It’s pretty much the same inside the clubs, and the worst thing is, it’s seen as a part of the experience of clubbing.”

According to a survey produced by the NUS in 2010, 68% of young women have experienced sexual harassment whilst studying at university or college.

This is an alarming number, and Ella isn’t the only student who has been a victim of sexual harassment either.

Christine Morgan, 23, a Student at Southampton Solent University states: “I went out for my best friend’s Birthday back last year. We were all having such a good night, the drinks were flowing but I kept mine to a minimum because I had work early the next day. Me and my friends decided to dance whilst a few of my guy friends went to get drinks at the bar. I was dancing away and I was really enjoying myself until I felt a pair of hands grab my waist. I felt instantly uncomfortable and thought it was inappropriate as I’m very happy with my boyfriend of five years, so I moved away. However, he was persistent and grabbed my waste again. I told him that I wasn’t interested as I’m in a relationship. I obviously hurt his pride as he told me I shouldn’t be wearing what I’m wearing if I have a boyfriend, and that ‘people only dress that way if they’re after a shag’.

“I was extremely upset and went home after that. As much as I hate to admit this, it’s really put me off going out and dressing up. I used to love wearing nice dresses and showing a bit of leg. I did it for me, not for anyone else. But now I’d just rather throw on a pair of jeans and a nice top instead.”

That wasn’t the only time Christine felt threatened by a man either, she explains: “This one was during my first year of fresher’s week. We were all drinking and getting to know each other. As I bought a wristband I didn’t want to miss a night out, plus I was a fresher, and as the saying goes ‘you’re only a fresher once’ so I wanted to make the most of it. My friends and I decided to go to the main event, which was a rave, specifically for students. The atmosphere was electric when we got there. It was filled with alcohol-fuelled students all chasing a night they would not remember in the morning. Unfortunately for me, I remembered this night particularly well.

“Again, I was dancing and as flattering as it is getting attention, it’s also very uncomfortable. Especially as I suffer from social anxiety which I’ve only recently gotten under control. But this particular attention I received was definitely not wanted. It started with the usual hands on hips. My friend pulled me away and I thought that was that, until the guy showed up behind me and my friend and tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and he shouted over the music ‘I’ll buy you both a drink if you two kiss each other’. I instantly said no but then he grabbed both of our heads and tried to push us together to force us to kiss. My friend pushed his hand away and then physically pushed him away. He then shouted something that I didn’t quite catch. But the scary thing was is that he must have been a student too, as it was a student’s only night.”

Christine, amongst many others believes that this is to do with the ever-growing presence of ‘Lad Culture’ in universities.

The NUS report ‘That’s What She Said’ explores this so called ‘Lad Culture’ and the findings are very concerning. The report found that sexual harassment and violence were related to ‘lad culture’, which included verbal harassment and ‘catcalling’, as well as physical harassment and sexual molestation. The report exposed that groping in nightclubs is seen as a part of a normal night out. Clubs were also found as the hub of ‘ladism’ and nightclub promoters engaged in ‘lad culture’ to encourage their business.

The normalising of lad culture spurs on sexual harassment, so what is anyone doing about it? Are we just a society that is negligent of serious punishable crimes?

NUS’s Women’s Officer, Kelly Temple wrote a letter to Women’s Minister Jo Swinson explaining: “The study found a worrying prevalence of ‘lad culture’ and the report will make uncomfortable reading for many of us - NUS and students’ unions included - when it comes to our own responsibilities. ‘Lad culture’ is a problem that needs to be urgently addressed.”

This domineering lad culture has produced a worry amongst many, but with so many students left feeling unsafe in their own University how can it be stopped?

According to the law, touching another person in a sexual way when it’s non-consensual is defined as sexual assault.  Another report by the NUS investigated sexual assault amongst students. The report found that only 4% of students reported a serious sexual assault to their institution and only a 10% of students reported the assault to the police. 1 in 7 women students experience serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student, which is a serious number. But this is only subjected to women students. It’s not only females who gain unwanted attention at clubs either. Southampton Solent University student, Daniel Joseph, 22 says: “I was on a night out with my friends and my girlfriend, when this girl came up to me and kissed me. I pushed her off but then she accused me of physically assaulting her and I got kicked out of the club.”

When asked if he did anything about it Daniel stated: “There’s no point, what are they going to do arrest a girl for kissing me? And anyway, who’s going to believe me? Especially when it comes to bouncers in clubs. They always favour girls.

“Not only that, but I looked like an idiot in front of the boys. They kept on making jokes that I should have carried on kissing her.”

Daniel isn’t the only one that felt pressure from groups of lads spurring each other on either.

Senior Policy Adviser for Equality Challenge Unit, Polly Williams said in the report that: "A dominant 'lad culture' may also damage the student experience of many male students, who either feel that they have to conform, or become disengaged from campus life to avoid it." So what is to be done about it? Where there is free will, there will always be inequality. Where there's inequality there will always be gender issues, which unfortunately, sexual harassment is a major part of this issue.

But how this harassment gets controlled is what matters most. In a utopic world, sexual harassment wouldn't even exist. It would be a term of the past, a piece of history. But all we can do is urge both men and women to understand the fine line between fun and harassment. You might not remember the night before, but it will haunt the victim for the rest of his or her life.