Becki Warrillow [Archived]

When the lights go out

Thu, 09 May 2013 13:20:00 +0100

You all may have noticed after the glow stick campaign ‘Light up the Park’ that we finally got the new LED lights installed in the park! Excellent news after all this time! After years of the SU battling and working with the University and Council to get them installed, we finally had some success!

However, there have been reports that the lights have unfortunately gone down twice since the new lights have been fitted. This leaves the park in darkness and many of us feeling unsafe to walk through the park alone at night; and we advise you not to walk through the park in the dark especially alone at night.

If you notice that the lights are down, please stay safe by following a few handy tips!

If you are staying late in the library to study, or on a night out; please let someone who is still awake know where you are, when you leave and when you arrive home safely. This can be anyone in the area, a friend, housemate, partner, just so long as someone knows you are safe.

Do not walk through the park alone in the dark, either walk with someone or get a taxi home. You will get home faster and let’s be honest… it will be a lot warmer and you get to go to bed sooner! Win win if you ask me!

Finally, if you do notice that the park lights are out please let someone know as soon as you can! Whether it is estates the Union or one of us FTO’s.

You can message via:

Emailing me at: Womensofficer@swansea-union.co.uk

Email the Union at: Info@swansea-union.co.uk

Email another FTO

Tweet me: @becki325

Tweet the Union account: @swanseaunion

Contact the University Estates help desk: wshelpdesk@swansea.ac.uk

Just remember, stay safe and good luck with your essays and exams!

And if you really fancy it, you can change your Timeline cover banner to this adorable awareness cover to let your friends know that the lights are out!

Got Consent?

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 22:53:00 Z

Got Consent?

You may have noticed the posters around campus, or the hand stamps on nights out? This is because this valentine’s week it is all about being sexy and when you find that lucky someone, making sure you respect each other and ask for consent.

So, have YOU got consent?

Before you stop reading, thinking oh god, this is going to be preachy and boring, why don’t I make a deal with you? If you score top points on this quiz you can stop reading if you want; if not, you have to promise to read the rest?!

Ok, GO!

*********************************

So if you get over 6 questions you are clued up!

1. What is the age of consent in Italy?

16
13
14

2. Is consent always spoken?

Yes
No
Depends

3. In a hetrosexual relationship do women have to ask men if they are consenting as well?

Never
Yes
Depends on the guy

4. The age of consent for men and women is..?

Men: 16 Women: 16
Men: 16 Women: 18
Men: 14 Women: 16

5. Can asking for consent be sexy?

Of course not!!
Sometimes
Yes, it can be

6. You have to say yes to get them to like or respect you?

Yes, no one will like you otherwise
No
Sometimes

7. If you are in a relationship, is it possible to not give consent?

We are dating, of course consent is always a given
No, you still can always say no
If I loved them I would have sex with them

8. If you give consent once, does that mean you are giving consent for the rest of the night/morning

No
Yes
For the rest of the night at least, maybe not the morning

Answers at the bottom!

Consent is about checking that both partners want the same thing from their sexual experience and are agreeing and respecting each other whilst doing so. It is a clear understanding of what has been mutually agreed upon and what has been consented to. It should be freely given, and enjoyed! If it isn't then it can be sexual assault.

Consent is sexy!! Here are some examples of how you can still maintain the mood, but be sure your partner is still feeling hot under the collar:

It makes me hot when you touch me here, can you do that?
Is it okay if I take my pants off?
What do you want me to do to you?
Is this okay with you?
I really like you and want this to last, so let's take it slow.
Can you touch me over here?
Can I take your shirt off?
You're kinda cute, can I kiss you?
Can I kiss you here? What about here?
Have you ever....? Would you like to try it with me?
I really like having sex/making love to you. Do you like it to?

Asking questions, and talking about sex and exploring what both of you want from the experience can be fun, exciting and sexy. It may also even improve your sex life! So why not give it a go and explore what you think is sexy and what isn't, just remember make sure all parties involved are consenting and having fun!

Sometimes however, consent isn't spoken when you have been together for a while. You will have started to build trust and an understanding of each others bodies and can recognise each other's body language. However, you should still make sure that you take it slow, check for any signs that mean they may not want to such as tensing, pushing or looking away, then you know to stop!

Always check, be alert and make sure that everyone is having a good time.

Question 1, 14. Question 2, Depends (It should always be spoken, but if you are in a long term relationship, you will be able to read the persons body language, but you should still always check!) Question 3,Yes . Question 4, Men: 16 Women: 16. Question 5, Yes, it can be. Question 6, No. Question 7, No, you still can always say no. Question 8, No.

How did you do?

Today I like you because…

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 13:54:00 Z

Today I like you because… you are you and you are taking the time to read this blog. So thank you.

So, you may have noticed the ‘Today I like you because…’ letter boxes around Students’ Union venues on campus and in the village and wondered what they are, or how to take part?

All you have to do is write an anonymous compliment to anyone you want to, just something nice that you have wanted to say, but might not have been able to, or you just want to put a smile on someone’s face. Then write their full name on the envelope and put it into the post box. One week later all of the envelopes will be displayed on two boards, one in the student village and one on campus. All you have to do is check the boards to see if your name is up there! [Please note any unsuitable comments or messages will be removed]

Still don't understand? Then click here to see what we mean!

Why do this?

This week is all about self esteem, being healthy, happy, appreciating yourself and others. ‘Today I like you because...’ is one of three events going on this week, there is also ‘Come Dine with the Dietician’ and SRSH’s ‘Love Your Body’ campaign. All of these events are to address issues of self esteem the way we treat each other and unhealthy lifestyles.

To find out more:

‘Come Dine with the Dietician’ http://www.facebook.com/events/150518168434844/
‘Love Your Body’ http://www.facebook.com/events/528456840509418/

This may sound all very ‘cutesy and fluffy’ but there is a serious message behind these events which is becoming a more prominent topic of debate; personal image and how the media and society portrays women and men. Granted this has been an issue for a while, but recently there has been a surge in people going on diets, leading unhealthy life styles and taking drastic measures to become what they see in magazines etc. However, these images that are being displayed to us are unrealistic and are so edited and unobtainable that the models and celebrities in the photos and adverts do not even look like themselves.

“Even the models we see in magazines wish they could look like their own images.”

Women and now even girls who haven’t reached their teens yet are suffering from eating disorders and believe themselves to be ‘too fat’. The problem is so acute that girls as young as five now worry about their size and appearance, half of girls and one quarter of boys believe their peers have body image problems, and appearance is the largest cause of bullying in schools.[1] This is not the message that should be sent out to people. Eating disorders amongst students is becoming an increasingly worrying problem, because of the stress put on students and the lack of resources to give these students the counselling support that they need. Eating disorders are a recognised debilitating mental illness / mental disorder that affect sufferers in more ways than just weight loss. The disorders also affect the sufferers working ability, social interaction, and self esteem. The common eating disorders are; Bulimia nervosa, Anorexia nervosa, Binge eating disorder and Eating disorders not otherwise specified. The latter is not as widely known however, may affect students the most; it covers all maladaptive eating behaviors that do not fit into the above diagnoses. Unfortunately, only a minority of the people who meet stringent diagnostic criteria for eating disorders receive mental health care. This means the majority of persons with a severe eating disorder lack adequate treatment.[2]

Therefore, the Students’ Union has come together with SRSH and the Mental Wealth society to raise awareness of how aspiring to these unrealistic goals can have a negative impact on your lifestyle and mental health. It is normal to want to change your appearance and put yourself down, but why? We want to help you focus on what is good about yourself and steer you towards being happy with yourself in a healthy way and raise awareness that these images are unobtainable to almost every person in the world. So have a think, why do you like yourself today?

For more information on the issues discussed please follow these links:

http://www.SRSH.co.uk
http://www.ymca.co.uk/bodyimage/report
http://campaignforbodyconfidence.wordpress.com/

http://www.allwalks.org/category/about-us/

If you are worried you have an eating disorder please contact this confidential email address: swansea@srsh.co.uk for more information on the SRSH group sessions or to get involved in the campaign team please email the non-confidential email address : SRSH@swansea-union.co.uk

[1] http://campaignforbodyconfidence.wordpress.com/

[2] Review of the Prevalence and Incidence of Eating Disorders; Hoek & Hoeken; Pp. 394

Thinking of running for women's officer... want to know more about it?

Mon, 07 Jan 2013 11:47:00 Z

So what does the women’s officer do?

Our team of full time officers is comprised of seven Swansea University Alumni Students who were all elected in March 2012 by you, the student body. If you go onto the ‘Union Officers’ section of the website, it gives you a run-down of who we all are, and what we do.

However, I am sure, still many of you will ask why we have a women’s officer and what your women’s officer actually does. The role of the women’s officer is to represent and support female students and other liberation students on issues that affect them. The role is also designed to help develop and deliver campaigns to fight for equality and respect for women and liberation, so that eventually all students will feel safe, included and represented at SUSU.

Sadly, even in the UK equality is still an issue – For example, many of you may not even realise or believe that there is still a gender wage gap in this day and age; even in our home city of Swansea. I have been elected, like the previous women before me to stop these inequalities, helping to make everyone equal one step at a time.

Our team in the union are here to help you feel safe and equal during your time at SUSU. We also have amazing part time Black students, disabilities and two LGBT+ officers on our executive team to work towards respect and equality on campus.

Therefore, if you feel passionate about women’s and/or liberation issues and want help starting a campaign on campus that will fight for a cause, please contact me or one of the part time liberation officers and we will be more than willing to help you where we can.

Furthermore, like the rest of the full time officer roles, the women’s officer also sits on the trustee board, student affairs committee, meetings of council and senior management. During these meetings I am present to ensure that the voice of the women and liberation students is heard and represented and will in no way be overlooked or undermined.

The role is not just about working towards equality and respect for women and liberation students, I am also here to offer support. The women’s officer also organises the zero tolerance to discrimination and sexual harassment policy at SUSU. Therefore, if you have been harassed or feel like you are being discriminated against, please feel free to contact me. Anything you report will be confidential.

If you want more in depth chat about the role of the Women’s Officer or are thinking of running please feel free to email me and pop in for a chat. Womensofficer@swansea-union.co.uk

White Ribbon Day

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:19:00 Z

This Sunday (25^th November) was White Ribbon Day, the official name of the day is the UN International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This day is about making a pledge to stop violence against women. It is a day of awareness throughout the whole world which started in 1991 and the campaigns run from around the 25^th November into December.

This year we decided to combine efforts to raise awareness of this campaign and domestic abuse by doing the first joint campaign with Swansea Met Students’ Union and artists from Sink Swansea. For the campaign, we have gone in a different direction to catch the attention from students all over campus and residents of Swansea!

You will notice on Oystermouth Road there is a graffiti wall with a beautiful mural of a Heron holding a white ribbon in its beak. This mural was designed and painted by the Sink Swansea artists and co-ordinated by Dave Long for the campaign:

“this local graffiti wall is transformed by the striking image of a Heron, grasping the iconic white ribbon in its' beak as it takes flight. The ribbon swirls across the canvas; looping and billowing. The viewer is approached by connotations of purity and freedom that reflect the White Ribbon Campaign's stance on abuse against women. Illustrator and Muralist Dave Long strongly believes that "the image has the impact to stop local residents in their tracks; the Heron depicts the spearhead in an organisation that works so hard to raise awareness and responsibility over one's actions and the subtle use of the unfurled ribbon literally ties in the campaign directly."

Alongside the mural and white ribbons all over campus, the media society helped us created a video for the campaign. This video features officers from Swansea Met Students’ Union, Swansea Uni Students’ Union and students who are helping say no to domestic violence. To view the video, follow the link at the bottom of this blog!

Myths v Facts

‘If it was that bad, he/she would leave’ – Myth

‘Same sex couples do not experience domestic abuse’ – Myth

‘Nearly 1 million women experience at least one incident of domestic abuse each year’ – Fact

‘12% of under 11yr olds, 18.4% of 11-17yr olds and 24.8% of 18-24yr olds witnessed at least one type of domestic violence during childhood.’ – Fact

‘It was a one off incident’ - Myth

So help us put an end to domestic abuse and support the white ribbon campaign.

Campaign Information:

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152279317125554&set=a.10150318966015554.567706.18315300553&type=1&theater

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=df5-pyWObEw

For more information and support on domestic abuse and domestic violence follow these links:

http://www.whiteribboncampaign.co.uk/
http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=49426
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/

http://www.allwaleshelpline.org.uk/
www.mensadviceline.org.uk

Maps, maps, maps!

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 18:25:00 Z

So as one of my manifesto points I stated that I would create area safety maps of the main student areas in Swansea to put them online and in printed out versions. And after a little delay, they are almost ready!

I have sectioned out areas that have a high student population such as: Brynmill, Hendrefoelan, Killay, Sketty and Uplands. These maps point out where the key interest / safety points in these areas are. The information points I thought to be most relevant were: Phone booths, taxi ranks, free cash points, faith venues, pharmacies, doctors and dentists and bus stops that go to town, uni or the other student areas.

The reasoning behind this was for student safety and general interest. Not many students know the areas they live in very well until the end of the year, these maps will hopefully speed up that process and let you guys know your areas quicker and easier.

Knowing where services such as free cash points and phone booths are can be very useful if you are unfamiliar with the area and your phone battery has died knowing where these key points are can help you get home quicker and safer.

The maps will be released in the Waterfront have now started to be put online.

Please follow this link to access the maps: http://www.swansea-union.co.uk/advice/livinginswansea/getaround/

But baby it's cold outside...

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:56:00 +0100

So, now freshers is over, nights out seem to have settled down, maybe even become more spontaneous than before (we all know those spontaneous nights out are the best!) But it is also coming up to winter and the clocks are changing, which means its darker and surprisingly even colder than "summer" was.

This means that everybody needs to start thinking about safety and health more, especially on those nights out! Yes - Even you.

So here are some little top tips about getting home safely on these Swansea winter nights.

Try and plan your route home BEFORE you go out! Organize with friends where you will meet, who is going home with who etc. This will make it a lot less stressful at the end of the night;
Make sure your phone is fully charged before you go out - we all know how dramatic everything gets when your phone battery died on a night out;
Make sure you keep some cash set aside for a taxi home. It may cost extra than walking home, but think of it this way. If you spend around £10-£30 (maybe more) on drinks, by not getting those last 2/3 drinks you can get a taxi home, which means.... It is quicker, so much warmer, you can eat your cheesy chips sitting down or even better at home and you can get into bed that much sooner than if you walked. Plus your hangover-self will love you so much more for not having those last two drinks.
Use the Buddy System - Have a designated friend you will text when you are leaving to go home, and that you will text when you are home (preferably one that won't get annoyed when you may wake them at 3am) Just so someone knows where you are.

Taxi Safety

So we just established why it is better to get a taxi home instead of walking, but here are some top tips on making sure you are safe in your taxi.

Make sure you get a licensed taxi, whether you call in advance or check the side of the car for the licensed stickers - You can always book a taxi so you aren't waiting ages. If you book one 20 minutes before you leave the club it should help to avoid the mass queues;
Licenced taxis always have one of the above logos on their car. Also, here is a list of the licensed taxi companies in Swansea: http://visitswanseabay.com/index.cfm?articleid=45379
Establish an approximate cost of the journey before you get into the taxi so there are no nasty surprises at the end - NEVER give the money first;
Try and share a taxi with friends and always sit in the backseat behind the driver, or behind the glass window;
If you are alone, or the last one getting out of the taxi, the drivers will normally oblige if you asked them to wait until you get into your house safely;
For more taxi tips go to: http://www.swansea-union.co.uk/advice/safety/gethome/

So... if you 100% have no other option than to walk it home, here are some tips

Walking

Again check someone is expecting you at home and let them know that you are walking;
Choose the most public and well lit route;
Walk on the side-walk facing traffic;
If you feel like you are being followed, cross over the street, if they follow head to the most well lit public place you can, and where necessary contact the police: 01792-456-999;
Walk in groups, even if you have to wait that extra 5 minutes for your friends;
Do not text or call all the way home, you will be less aware and your phone will cause attention - This means don't listen to your iPod as well, sorry guys;
Look confident and stay alert, don't walk with your hands in your pockets;
Avoid using cash points at night if you are alone.

Women Walking Alone

Carry your bag close to your body - have your keys in your hand and your phone in your pocket. Keep items separately. - If someone tried to grab it, let it go - You are more valuable than your bag
Buy a pair of rollashoes - they are much more comfortable and safer to walk home in than high heels;
Don't forget your personal alarm from SUSU

Finally, if you would like that extra bit of confidence on a night out, or just want to learn how to better protect yourself, you can always attend SUSU's Women's Only Self Defense Classes held on Fridays 14:00 - 15:30 in the Pavilion gym £2 per class - E-mail: womensofficer@swansea-union.co.uk for more details.

Stay safe this winter!

Athena SWAN!

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 15:11:00 +0100

Athena SWAN Bronze Award!

What is Athena Swan you may ask? Well, Athena SWAN is a charter that universities apply for to encourage the recruitment and retention of women in STEMM subjects. STEMM subjects are; Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Medicine.

Many universities and their academic colleges, around the UK hold bronze, silver or gold Athena SWAN certificates; Swansea University being one of them!

We are lucky enough to have been awarded an Athena SWAN Bronze Award for the last three years. Swansea University are very proud and keen to keep this award, therefore, to maintain this progress Swansea University are currently reapplying to keep the Bronze Award this year, and encouraging the individual colleges to apply the six main Athena SWAN principals and apply for their own awards.

The six main principals that Athena SWAN bases their awards on are:

To address gender inequalities requires commitment and action from everyone, at all levels of the organisation
To tackle the unequal representation of women in science requires changing cultures and attitudes across the organisation
The absence of diversity at management and policy-making levels has broad implications which the organisation will examine
The high loss rate of women in science is an urgent concern which the organisation will addres
The system of short-term contracts has particularly negative consequences for the retention and progression of women in science, which the organisation recognizes
There are both personal and structural obstacles to women making the transition from PhD into a sustainable academic career in science, which require the active consideration of the organisation

The reason Athena SWAN is important is because of the culture that surrounds STEM subjects and the future of employment for women who study in this field. It is generally a male dominated area, which may make it slightly intimidating for female students to study subjects such as engineering or computer science because the classes are predominantly male, the lectures and Heads of Department are all predominantly male. This generally makes it harder for women to break into the job market in these fields and work their way to the top due to such a male dominated environment , a difference in approach to employment and the lack female role models at the top.

I am not saying that women cannot make it to the top, nor that they cannot be successful in this area, we have prime examples of strong women here at Swansea University that have done so. What I am saying is that the culture needs to be changed so that more and more women who study science, mathematics, technology and engineering can join them and excel in their studies and careers.

Student and staff statistics provide evidence that there is a gender gap, which is more predominant in STEMM subjects and colleges; this gender gap affects education institutions all around the UK. This needs to be tackled. One of the ways that Swansea University are addressing the problems of the gender gap for staff is that they are making meeting times more inclusive. The STEMM colleges have moved committee meeting times to so called “core working times” so that male and females with parenting responsibilities may attend. Other initiatives to encourage female students to apply is by addressing the language used in job adverts that may “put off” potential female candidates to apply for those positions.

With this in mind, Swansea University and the Students’ Union are looking to work together to help and encourage student participation and understanding of the Charter and that STEMM subjects are working towards becoming more female friendly. We shall be working together in the networking, mentoring and promotion of Athena SWAN and hopefully become more involved as our working relationship becomes even better. This in turn, should persuade more female students to come to Swansea University and study STEMM subjects.

Swansea Bay LGBT+ Forum

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 16:22:00 +0100

On Wednesday 5^th September, Swansea University Students’ Union for the first time, hosted the Swansea Bay LGBT+ forum in our very own JCs bar on campus with the help of PCSO Rhys Thomas from the Western Area Hate Crime police department.

The forum was launched in February 2012 and has attracted many different LGBT+ and LGBT+ friendly organisations which also include the local council, police and now Swansea University Students’ Union. The aim of the forum is to engage and improve services for LGB and T communities across Swansea Bay, by allowing those who work in the field of LGB and T organisations to network, meet up and discuss their work, problems and accomplishments across the Swansea Bay area.

The creation of the forum has enabled organisations such as Swansea Pride, Tawe Butterflies, STONEWALL, UNITY and many more work together and expand their knowledge and experiences to make Swansea a more LGBT+ friendly and safer community. A positive outcome to these meetings are not only gaining connections and working more closely with each other but, it also gives allows people to discuss issues such as hate crime and how to work together as a community to prevent it are discussed, youth projects, and other serious issues.

In addition to discussing how to tackle safety issues and networking, it is also a way to plan how the different organisations can work together, to celebrate the work and accomplishments of each other and how awareness days can be celebrated with the involvement of each other’s support.

It was great to see such a good turnout at the forum that was hosted in JC’s and welcoming everyone into our union; and for some, welcoming them back. The Students’ Union is also looking forward to being further involved with the forum and working closely with the different organisations in the future.

You can follow the forum on twitter at: @SwanseaLGBTforu

The Swansea Experience

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 14:20:00 +0100

Five years ago today, I found out that I would be going to Swansea University to study American Studies (BA Hons) with a year in America! I could not wait to go, to move in with new friends and flat mates, and most importantly live by the beach!

I won’t lie, I was really sad to be leaving all of my friends back in Birmingham and was very apprehensive about losing contact with them, also not being able to make new friends. Luckily, I had been coming to Swansea for 6 or so years before then and I loved the city, so I already had a few friends at Swansea who would become even closer friends and help create some amazing memories in this wonderful city. As for those in Birmingham, I am still extremely close with my best friends, and we all visit each other all the time! (So for those of you who are worried, if you really want to stay in contact, you will).

As soon as I arrived in, I realised this was going to be an amazing four years (which actually turned out to be five years now). My flat mates were wonderful and fun, I managed to get a job on the first weekend working for the Students’ Union at Woody’s; now known as ‘The Wonky sheep’ (I still know it as Woody’s and always will!), we celebrated freshers and Swansea all that year. We still do, five years on!

Due to meeting such amazing people, and getting involved in the Union, I feel that I have experienced so much of what Swansea has to offer. Such as, amazing times camping and barbequing down the beach, getting involved in societies, travelling, mountain biking, hitch hiking to Croatia, going for late night swims in the Gower, Wind Street, the village carnival and many more fantastic things that Swansea has to offer all students that arrive here to study and become a part of a strong Swansea spirit!

When I moved to America for a year, it was the strangest thing not being around the friends I had been living with for two years, changed and partied with. Although studying in America via my course was one of, or probably, the best year of my life; I was so excited to return and see all my friends and be back in Swansea once more.

Skip to this August, post graduation and I am still here in Swansea. Loving life and walking along the beach to the university every morning. Still involved in the Union and very excited to welcome the freshers of 2012/2013 with the rest of the officer team! It is going to be one heck of an experience for you all.

So congratulations to all, and we will see you in September!

Please feel free to contact me via email: womensofficer@swansea-union.co.uk or via my personal twitter account: @becki325