Keble’s Michaelmas 2013 Fresher’s Week President Emma Alexander commented, ‘I’m pleased to see OUSU has been nominated for this award, and it’s a good example of the great work they do that perhaps isn’t well recognised by the student body.’ Comedienne Kate Smurthwaite will host the awards which, as well as the award for Sexual Health Project of the Year, includes six other categories which award achievements in sexual health. These include Sexual Health Professional of the Year, the JLS Young Person of the Year and the Rosemary Goodchild Award for excellence in sexual health journalism, and a Lifetime Achievement in sexual health award will also be presented.
So what did OUSU do to make the shortlist? The student union’s Sexual Consent Workshops have been recognised for the UK Adult Sexual Health Project of the Year, because the workshops have created discussion amongst undergraduates and post-graduates, and a version for under 18s which is used in local schools has enabled sports teams to contribute also. More than 50 individuals have trained as facilitators to hold discussions throughout the Oxford Colleges and sports teams in the past year, and will help young people to discuss what they believe sexual consent to be and the myths surrounding sexual consent and abuse.
According to Suzanne Holsomback, Vice President of Oxford University Student Union, ‘It is a great honour to be recognised by Brook for the work Oxford University Student Union (OUSU) has done on sexual consent in the Oxford colleges and throughout the University. OUSU is committed to creating an environment where consent is discussed, understood, and practiced. We desire for the University of Oxford to become a place where students respect themselves and each other by communicating consent, but more importantly, we hope that through these discussions, students will challenge the culture that perpetuates sexual consent and sexual abuse myths.’