{"id":144357,"date":"2022-09-30T17:03:59","date_gmt":"2022-09-30T15:03:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=144357"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:26:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:26:26","slug":"student-societies-focus-on-sex-education-during-initiation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2022\/09\/30\/student-societies-focus-on-sex-education-during-initiation\/","title":{"rendered":"Student societies focus on sex education during initiation"},"content":{"rendered":"

New members of Laurentius, RSC\/RSV and Skadi were given workshops on consent and sexuality during their introduction activities. By offering these workshops, student organisation GELIJKSPEL aims to foster discussion on sexual etiquette in the most accessible way possible. ‘The more we talk about it, the easier it gets.’<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPauline Wiersema<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

\u2018GELIJKSPEL was set up to give students tools that enable them to better navigate the issue of sex\u2019, explains Josephine Nap. She led the workshops at the societies, together with three of the six other ambassadors from the new student organisation.<\/p>\n

Slut shaming<\/h2>

During the workshops, the ambassadors go over a number of scenarios with the students. \u2018We discuss situations that almost every student has experienced at some point\u2019, Nap says. \u2018For example, what do you do if a fellow student calls someone a slut?\u2019 The scenario is discussed, and then the students are given a \u2018rule of play\u2019.<\/p>\n

According to Nap, the rules represent correct etiquette for the \u2018game\u2019 of sex. \u2018These rules are the metaphor we use. They can include anything, like: confront someone about disrespectful language.\u2019 Specific incidents are not discussed during the workshops. \u2018We mostly provide tools. It isn\u2019t productive to point fingers. We start from scratch and talk to the students about how they want to treat each other.\u2019<\/p>\n

Break during initiation week<\/h2>
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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tPauline Wiersema<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>

EUC student Gilles Luyendijk served as president of Skadi last year and was immediately enthusiastic about the idea of GELIJKSPEL: \u2018When we got the phone call, I actually thought: perfect timing.\u2019 Skadi has been working to create a safe sports climate for a long time. \u2018It\u2019s a shame, of course, but that atmosphere in which not everyone treats each other with respect still exists. We also have confidential advisers for when unpleasant incidents occur, but I thought it would be good to focus more on prevention. It\u2019s nice to go through the rules together in an informal way.\u2019<\/p>\n

He also attended the workshop himself: \u2018I was really curious. They started with a video in which asking for consent for sex was compared to offering a cup of tea. Very well explained and an apt comparison: you wouldn\u2019t give tea to someone who\u2019s already asleep, for instance. For the first-year students, it was also a nice break during the busy initiation week.\u2019<\/p>\n

Society culture<\/h2>

The Amsterdam student society made headlines this summer following misogynistic statements. This reignited the debate on the culture within student societies. According to Luyendijk, the incident was not a direct reason for inviting GELIJKSPEL, but he acknowledges that there can be disrespectful behaviour within societies: \u2018I don\u2019t think it\u2019s that bad at Skadi, but the hierarchical culture can lead to unpleasant situations more easily within this type of association than elsewhere. We\u2019ve been working for some time to make the association more inclusive. A few years ago, for example, it was a lot less unusual to call someone a term like \u2018gay\u2019, but now you will be held accountable for that. The incident in Amsterdam was nevertheless a reminder that we need to be working on this. Things can still be improved.\u2019<\/p>\n

Nap, an RSC\/RSV member herself, doesn\u2019t believe the culture problem is unique to student societies. \u2018Sexually transgressive behaviour happens everywhere.\u2019 GELIJKSPEL doesn\u2019t just focus on social associations, either. \u2018We want to reach as many students as possible.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\t

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