SEXtember 2017: Building a culture of respect

On August 1, 2017, the Australian Human Rights Commission released a national report on sexual assault and harassment taking place at Australian universities. The first of its kind here in Australia, it was revealed that more than half of the 30,000 students surveyed had experienced or had been affected by sexual harassment in 2016 while another 1.6 per cent of those surveyed said they were sexually assaulted in a university setting.

The report was a wake-up call for many and universities have already begun to take swift action to ensure their campuses remain safe learning grounds for students.

In our part to help ‘change the course’, this year’s stories for SEXtember will focus on healthy relationships and will enable students to learn more about their role in a relationship, understand what a good relationship might look like and how they can assist someone they feel may be in a negative relationship.

Since 2012, Meld’s SEXtember campaign has provided international students with a safe space online to learn and access useful information about sex, relationships, gender and identity. For us, it’s all about building a culture of respect on and off campus both in students’ everyday interactions with people from all walks of life, regardless of sexuality, as well as their own relationships.

If you have a story or experience that you’d like to share with Meld (but wish to remain anonymous) please get in touch by sending an email to meld@meldmagazine.com.au with the subject header ‘SEXtember 2017’. A Meld representative will be in touch if we want to feature your story!

We look forward to hearing from you!