DSU and DMU have come together to encourage students to take a stand to stamp out sexual violence and harassment.
De Montfort Students’ Union (DSU) and De Montfort University (DMU) have come together to encourage students to take a stand to stamp out sexual violence and harassment.
Keira Rounsley, VP Welfare and Community at DSU, is launching a ‘Take a Stand’ week in conjunction with the university to promote the great work of The Mandala Project, launched earlier this academic year.
Taking place between Tuesday 21 and Friday 25 March, the Take a Stand Week consists of a series of events that reflect the ethos of sexual violence, harassment, misogynistic ‘banter’ and abusive relationships having no place at DMU.
The Take a Stand week of events will take place across the DMU campus from Tuesday 21 and Friday 25 March.
Keira has been heavily involved in The Mandala Project since its conception and feels its values are paramount to making students feel safe on campus and beyond.
“All students and staff have the right to feel respected, safe and supported,” she said. “DMU and DSU are committed to providing and promoting an environment which is free from harassment and discrimination.”
“Unwanted sexual comments, advances or assaults have no place at DMU or anywhere else. There is zero tolerance for this kind of behaviour at DMU.”
“That’s why we are putting on a week of events to highlight the importance of the project and the issues it commits to help students with, as well as making it clear that unacceptable, threatening or violent behaviour will not be tolerated at DMU.”
Kicking off with a Panel Debate on Tuesday 21 March, which will discuss the issues that The Mandala Project aims to tackle, as well as showing students how they can get involved.
Wednesday 22 and Thursday 23 March will see the Take a Stand Roadshow take over the Campus Centre and Hawthorn Square with more information about the project, eye-opening statistics and Keira’s ‘Crime or No Crime’ challenge.
The week will also see the return, on Friday 24 March, of drama company Written Foundations, who have worked with DMU students to highlight the prevalence of domestic and sexual abuse in a number of different environments.
Written Foundations worked with three DMU Drama students at the launch of The Mandala Project. Read more here.
Keira continued: “We have a week packed with insightful activities and it would be fantastic to see as many DMU students and staff there as possible.
“If you take one thing away from the Take a Stand Week, it’s to not be a bystander so that we can stamp out sexual violence and harassment.”
You can find out more about Take a Stand Week, The Mandala Project and more information on all of the week's events, here.
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