At Keele we are committed to ensuring our Campus is a safe and supportive space for all members of our community and raising awareness and tackling sexual violence is our number one priority.

This year as part of our e-induction, we will be introducing a new online resource, which explores issues related to consent and healthy relationships and how all members of our community have a role to play in tackling unacceptable behaviour as active bystanders. This is important for all of us so we hope you will have a look at this resource over the next few weeks.

We will be following this up with peer led Consent Conversations in weeks 2 and 3 supported by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Support Team. These sessions will provide you with opportunities to discuss and share your views and experiences in a safe and confidential space. Check your email and timetable for more information about these sessions.

We will continue to actively campaign and raise awareness about this key issue during our first ever Keele Sex Week in week 5, led by students volunteering with the national campaigning charity Sexpression UK. Keele Sex Week events will be designed to promote an informed university community by providing forums for exploration and empowerment, and to cultivate a campus where we take pride in safety, responsibility, and respect.

The NHS Sexual Health Prevention Team will be accessible throughout the year in your Halls of Residence and at KeeleSU. They are in place to provide advice, guidance and sexual health screening alongside your Residence Support Team.

Throughout the year our Community Champions will be further developing our #NeverOK, active bystander campaign, encouraging all members of the Keele community to speak out to challenge all forms of unacceptable and discriminatory behaviour. If you're interested in taking part in our campaiging activity during National Sexual Violence Awareness Week see the timetable below. 

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Community Champion and working with us to deliver our work on Consent and Bystander Intervention email student.services@keele.ac.uk and one of the team will get back to you.

Providing support for any students affected by this issue is also an important priority for us. At Keele we have a dedicated Sexual Violence Prevention and Support team who are available to provide knowledgeable and caring 'wrap around support' for survivors of all forms of sexual violence. We also have support pages providing information about options and support that are available at Keele and in the local area. You can find out about our commitment to raising awareness and tackling this issue by looking at the University's dedicated webpages at www.keele.ac.uk/sv