Tuesday 27-11-2018 - 15:42

 

Chloé Lake is Chair of Bristol SU's Women's Network and the organiser of this year's march to Reclaim the Night on the 30th November. *Content Warning* Discusses sexual violence, rape and harassment.

 

Earlier this month a 17-year-old woman’s underwear were handed around a courtroom for jurors to inspect. They were a pair of lacey blue knickers, similar to any that you or I might own. Yet this underwear was used as evidence that the woman in question was ‘open to meeting someone’ and so could not have been raped. Shortly after, the defendant was acquitted.

 

This story shocked a nation and, in the days since, brave Irish women have been taking to the streets and brandishing their underwear on social media under the hashtag #ThisIsNotConsent to demand change. That these practices are commonplace in our courtrooms reveals a deep-rooted misunderstanding of consent and the multitude of forms that sexual violence can take. Yet such misconceptions are commonly held amongst all levels of society, in the UK just as in Ireland.

 

17% of women students have experienced sexual assault whilst at the University of Bristol. The understanding of sexual violence as an act that is only performed by monsters who hide down alleyways prevents survivors from recognising and reporting what has happened to them and from seeking support. 

 

The fact that a woman’s dress, underwear or sexual history can be used as evidence that consent was assumed by the perpetrator reveals a toxic misconception. It is not the duty of the survivor to be able to prove that they made it clear that they did not consent. It is the duty of the person who seeks out sexual interactions to ensure that the person they are with gives clear and enthusiastic consent and is fully able to do so.

 

A short dress is not a yes. Lacey blue knickers are not a yes. The absence of a scream is not a yes. Being too drunk to say no is not a yes.

 

Yet when only 38% of students at Bristol have received education around what consent means, it is hardly surprising that we find these dangerous views perpetuated in our social circles. They are perpetuated by popular culture, and often dismissed as harmless banter.

 

For this reason, we need to be calling out instances of sexual harassment no matter how small or harmless they seem. We need to be having difficult conversations with our friends, colleagues and classmates. The RESPECT campaign will be training up ambassadors to do just this. Holding workshops and talking to their peers around the University about consent; they will work to build a new sexual culture at the University. If you would like to take part, contact Sally Patterson.

 

The fact that these attitudes are still being promoted by the judiciary system shows how far the struggle for gender equality still has to come. 60% of women at the University of Bristol feel unsafe walking home at night, compared to 10% of men. With this in mind, I ask you to come along to Reclaim the Night as we take to the streets, alongside our Irish sisters, to demand change. We will be meeting at Queen Square at 6.30pm and marching to the Richmond Building for performances and speakers from 8 – 10pm. Bring your knickers; bring your banners; bring your megaphones, as we let the world know #ThisIsNotConsent.

 

If you have been affected by sexual violence or harassment you can access local support services here. Everything you say will be completely confidential and you will not be required to report the incidence to the police if you do not wish to. To anonymously report sexual harassment or assault at the University and access advice and support, use the University's Report and Support Tool here.