Appendix 3: Summary of responses to the
survey 'Staying Safe—Teaching sex, relationships and consent
in the UK' run by the National Union of Students
Introduction
In 2014, the National Union of Students (NUS), with
the Joint Committee on Human Rights and the House of Commons Education
Select Committee, designed a survey for NUS students. This appendix
presents findings from the survey carried out by the National
Union of Students of students' awareness of the issue of Violence
Against Women (VAW) and aspects of Sex and Relationships Education
(SRE) in the UK relevant to our inquiry.
Methodology
Participants were asked questions about their SRE
sessions, their understanding of VAW and their access to support
services. An email had been sent to respondents after NUS closed
the survey with additional information on the issues addressed
(contraception, pregnancy, sex and relationships, support services
for survivors).
An online survey was sent out to the NUS Extra database
in September 2014. There were 1,120 respondents from all over
the UK, from both further and higher education. The sample was
self-selecting and there was no use of quotas. The survey population
was as follows:
Table 1: Sample Composition
| Variable
| % of the sample
|
| Gender |
|
| Men |
40% |
| Women |
60% |
| Age |
|
| 16-17 | 29%
|
| 18-20 | 37%
|
| 21-25 | 14%
|
| 26-29 | 5%
|
| 30+ | 15%
|
| Ethnicity
| |
| White | 83%
|
| Mixed | 4%
|
| Asian | 6%
|
| Black | 5%
|
| Other | 2%
|
| Status
| |
| UK citizen | 95%
|
| International EU | 2%
|
| International non-EU |
3% |
Not enough respondents specified their sexual orientation, their
postcode and if they defined as disabled. Therefore those demographic
dimensions could not be explored in the survey.
Quantitative data from the survey was analysed using
SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science), while qualitative
data from open-ended questions was analysed with the software
NVivo for text analysis. All analysis was undertaken by the National
Union of Students.
Scope of the research
Respondents were current students in the post-secondary
sector. Therefore questions on SRE are based on what they remembered
from it, with an important variation in the period they have received
SRE. Some received SRE the year before they took the survey, some
received SRE over 10 or 20 years ago.
This research was also limited to students' awareness
of and access to services, and does not ask them if they personally
experienced sexual harassment or violence. Nonetheless, some respondents
decided to share their stories in open-box comments.
The survey included questions about:
· Sex
and relationships
· Contraception
· Consent
· Pregnancy
· The
concept of VAW
· Awareness
of campaigns
· Access
to services
Terminology used in the survey
Violence Against Women is a global phenomenon which
affects women from all sections of society and of all ages. Violence
against women can be defined in a number of different ways, but
is generally understood as gendered violence experienced by women,
which can include physical, sexual, emotional, psychological and
financial abuse, as well as threatening, coercive and controlling
behaviour.
Consent: Sexual consent
refers to the agreement to participate in sexual activity. Consent
is a necessary requirement in all sexual activity, no matter the
nature of the relationship in question. In the law,[230]
I consent is defined by the fact that a person agrees by choice,
and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.
Students' assessment of their SRE sessions
The majority of respondents—88%—received
SRE at school. There were disparities depending on respondents'
age and ethnicity. Younger students were more likely to have received
SRE at school: 92% of students under 21 years old compared to
only 67% of 30+.
White (89%) and mixed students (91%) were more likely
to have received SRE at school than students from Black (77%)
and Asian (84%) backgrounds. Students self-defining as Black were
the least likely to have received such sessions.
Table 2: Prevalence of SRE at school
| Did you receive sex and relationship education at school?
|
| Variable | % of "Yes"
|
| Age |
|
| 16-17 | 92%
|
| 18-20 | 92%
|
| 21-25 | 90%
|
| 26-29 | 87%
|
| 30+ | 67%
|
| Ethnicity
| |
| White | 89%
|
| Mixed | 91%
|
| Asian | 84%
|
| Black | 77%
|
| Total sample
| 88% |
*Differences between groups are statistically
significant at the 5% level.
Among those who did not receive SRE at school, 89%
said it was because their school did not offer SRE.
LGBT respondents in particular complained about the
lack of information for non-heterosexual people:
"As a homosexual, sex education in that
area is highly overlooked so the use of the internet and merely
working it out as you go along tends to be the only teaching you
get." (respondent to NUS survey)
Consent
One third of respondents (34%) said that their SRE
sessions comprehensively discussed the notion of consent; 30%
said it was insufficient and 25 per cent reported it was not discussed
at all (the rest does not know or cannot remember). Students aged
16-17 were more likely to think it was comprehensively discussed
than students over 30 (respectively 38% and 20%).
Half of respondents (52%) were aware of the law on
consent, with disparities between different genders and ethnicities.
The difference between men and women respondents might reflect
a sample bias; men who answered this survey may have been more
sensitive to and more informed about this issue.
Table 3: Awareness of the law on consent
| Are you aware of the law on consent?
|
| Variable | % of "Yes"
|
| Gender |
|
| Men | 57%
|
| Women | 49%
|
| Ethnicity
| |
| White | 55%
|
| Mixed | 49%
|
| Asian | 29%
|
| Black | 38%
|
| Total sample | 66%
|
*Differences between groups are statistically
significant at the 1% level.
94% of respondents thought that consent should be
included in the curriculum. 88% thought it should be taught in
secondary schools, and 35% at university. There were significant
differences between men and women:
· 39%
of women vs. 30% of men think it should be taught at university
· 41%
of women vs. 31% of men think it should be taught in primary schools
· 51%
of women vs. 42% of men think it should be taught in colleges.
About half of respondents described what they think
the law on consent is. Most of them mentioned the legal age of
16 under which a person is considered not able to give her consent.
Some also specifically cited the notion of "statutory rape".
There were quite extensive descriptions of what a formal agreement
is and how this should be made clear before any sexual act.
Many respondents gave details of the conditions under
which consent can be given, including age, not being under the
effect of substance like drug or alcohol, and the absence of physical
threat. Words like "conscious" and "aware"
were mentioned to explain the notion of consent. There was a widespread
understanding that the person must know the terms of what she/he
is agreeing to and the consequences it may have on her/his body.
Finally, some respondents defined consent as saying
"yes" explicitly before any sexual practice and 15 replied
"No means no".
"Sexual behaviour with a person who does
not or cannot consent is against the law. A person cannot give
informed consent if they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
are under the age of 16, or are being threatened in some way."
(respondent to NUS survey)
"Sexual activities of any kind can only
take place when all participants are of legal age, 16 in the UK,
and are fully willing without being pressured or decisions influenced
by drugs or alcohol. Also all parties can remove their consent
at any point and no longer have to continue in any act taking
place." (respondent to NUS survey)
Figure 1: General level of information on sex
and relationships by gender
For which of the following do you know where to find
help or advice?
Indicates when there is a statistically
significant difference between men and women respondents. Eg:
peer pressure, 44% of men know where to find help and advice compared
to 34% of women.
Figure 2: General level of information on sex
and relationships by age group
Only items for which there is a statistically
significant difference between groups are included. When the sample
size is under 20 respondents it has been excluded from the results.
The level of information is on average relatively
low, except for STIs for which 73% of respondents knew where to
find help and advice. About half of respondents knew where to
find help and advice regarding rape, 18% regarding FGMs and 16%
regarding coercive marriages. Men tended to feel better informed
than women, especially on sexual pleasure, sexual desire and sexual
practices. Despite having received less information at school,
students over 30 tend to feel better informed than their younger
counterparts except for peer pressure.
"Current sexual education in schools is
terrible. It's taught too late and does not go into any important
detail beyond what happens in puberty and how to put on a condom.
Nothing is said about consent etc." (respondent to NUS survey)
"Doing this survey has made me realise how
inadequate sex education is in England. It should be improved."
(respondent to NUS survey)
Students' perception and understanding of violence
Defining Law
Respondents were asked to share their definition
of violence against women, and 487 answered to this question.
Most often cited words include "physical", "abuse",
"emotional", "mental" and "hurt".
Table 4: Words associated with VAW
| Word |
Frequency |
| Force | 437
|
| Physical
| 356 |
| Aggression | 281
|
| Abuse |
233 |
| Assault | 218
|
| Touching
| 203 |
| Emotional | 190
|
| Mental |
171 |
| Hurt | 170
|
| Mistreating
| 167 |
| Controlling | 156
|
| Disrespect
| 154 |
| Harm | 148
|
| Psychological
| 138 |
There is a shared understanding that VAW refers to harm and violence
directed towards women and that it encompasses physical, verbal
and emotional forms of abuse.
"Threats or actual physical, verbal or mental abuse,
either in person or online. For example, rape, domestic abuse,
forced marriages and FGM." (respondent to NUS survey)
"Physical violence e.g. hitting. Intellectual
e.g. stopping the woman in the relationship from having an education
or going to further education. Emotional and social e.g. stopping
them from going out to socialise and saying things to emotionally
hurt the individual." (respondent to NUS survey)
Respondents were on average quite aware of the issue
of VAW, and 59% said they have already discussed that with their
friends. Women tended to discuss it with their friends in a higher
proportion than men; 63% of women reported having already discussed
the issue of VAW compared to 53% of men.
Raising awareness
Table 5: Awareness of Government's Campaigns
| Education and awareness campaigns
| % of respondents aware of the campaign
|
None | 51%
|
This is ABUSE
| 26% |
Home Office's campaign against FGMs
| 25% |
Right to Choose Campaign against Forced Marriage
| 17% |
World Cup Domestic Violence Campaign
| 15% |
Forced Marriage Awareness Week
| 14% |
Forced Marriage mobile phone app
| 31 respondents
|
Other campaigns that were mentioned, most of which are not from
the Government, include:
· White
Ribbon
· One
billion rising
· Reclaim
the night
· No more
Page 3
· Girl
Guiding UK campaigns
7% were aware of programmes at their institution
that sought to raise awareness amongst students in relation to
violence, sexual assault and harassment. Among those, 55 specified
the types of programme they are aware of. Most mentioned Students'
Union campaigns like "I love Consent",[231]
feminist societies' campaigns or women's officer on campus.
Others mentioned counselling or university support
services. A respondent mentioned RESPECT,[232]
and one mentioned a BBC programme. One student talked about the
recent training implemented at Oxford but specified that it is
not compulsory for all colleges.[233]
Over a third of respondents (35%) said their institution
provides information about where victims of violence, sexual harassment
or sexual assault can go for help; and a quarter (27%) reported
that their students' union does. Men appeared to feel better informed
than women; 32% said their union provides information compared
to 25% of women.
Access to services
1 in 5 men (18%) knew where to find help or advice
if they are worried they have committed an act of violence, sexual
assault or harassment.
Among those who said they knew where to find help,
the most commonly cited responses were:
· The
police
· Family
and friends
· Doctors
and counsellors
Few respondents mentioned services at their institution
like BEST (Behaviour and Education Support Team), their tutor
or the health centre. Respondents who left comments to this question
were very aware that violence is a crime, but there were only
140 comments out of a sample of 1120 students.
"I would talk to my family about such a
situation as I am more comfortable with them, however if I was
seriously thinking that I had done such a thing I would consider
getting help, or turning myself in for such a crime." (respondent
to NUS survey)
Over half of respondents (58%) said they would feel
comfortable raising concerns about a friend who had experienced
or committed violence, sexual assault or harassment. When asked
who they would talk to, respondents cited:
· The
police
· Friends
· Family
and parents
· Few
cited services in their institution like the nurse or a teacher
· Few
cited specialised services or organisations like Refuge
42%, would not know who to talk to about a friend
who either experienced or committed an act of violence.
Some male respondents would like to see the issue
of domestic abuse and violence against men included in prevention
campaigns. They linked violence to 'lad culture' and the expectations
society creates about men and 'masculinity'. Some expressed their
frustration with the lack of consideration for men who suffer
abuse and feel that it is more difficult to report abuse for men
because of masculinist expectations on them.
"When taking the survey, I realised just
how little I knew about the campaigns that are helping with this
issue. I think awareness of these campaigns needs to be raised.
Although this survey is focused on violence against women, I
believe that we must also raise awareness of violence against
men. This is a topic that I have never seen discussed in schools
or colleges, and whilst the number of incidents is probably lower
than those of violence against women, it does happen and should
not be swept under the rug." (respondent to NUS survey)
About 200 women respondents shared their experience
of abuse and violence, stressing how alone and helpless they felt
when confronted to this situation. Many did not know where to
find help or who to talk to, and they emphasised not being aware
of their rights at the time the crime happened.
"I was a victim of sexual violence and didn't
speak to anyone for 8 years about it because I didn't know who
would or could help me. I hope these questions and data collected
from them are going to actually be used to help other girls and
lads who suffer as well. I wouldn't want anyone to go through
what I did." (respondent to NUS survey)
"I was forced into sex when I was in a relationship
with this guy. I was young, I wish I had left the room as saying
no and moving his hands away was not enough to stop him. I wish
that someone had told me that I had a right to walk away from
that situation, to leave the room. And that even in a relationship
there can be rape. Women need to know it's ok to assert themselves."
(respondent to NUS survey)
230 Legal definition of rape and sexual offences:
http://www.cps.gov.uk/legal/p_to_r/rape_and_sexual_offences/consent/#a03 Back
231
See NUS campaign "I heart Consent": http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/resources/open/womens/I-Heart-Consent-workshop-guide/ Back
232
See their website: http://respect.uk.net/ Back
233
To know more about the launch of the programme at Oxford and
Cambridge: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/higher/freshers-week-oxford-and-cambridge-university-running-compulsory-sexual-consent-classes-9746220.html Back
| 
