Put a stop to sexual harassment in the student community

Today, Monday 29 April, is the launch of the Not Cool campaign to put a stop to sexual harassment in the student community by getting more students to act if situations get out of control. The campaign is the initiative of the Karlstad Student Union, Karlstad University and the Värmland County Council.

“Students can help prevent sexual harassment by daring to see and act. This could mean walking someone home, suggesting a different game or saying ‘Stop – one doesn’t say that’,” says Rebecca Hultman, vice chair of the Karlstad Student Union tasked with study-social issues.

Karlstad University is no exception
Sexual harassment occurs wherever there are people, and also in the student community. The Student Health Services at Karlstad University can testify to this.

“We know that it happens and think that it happens more frequently at the start of the semester, when many students gather; there are parties and alcohol is involved. We have not kept count, but at Student Health Services we hear that it happens here, exactly as in the rest of society,” says Annelie Berglind, health pedagogue at Karlstad University.

The campaign is launched broadly through the communication channels of the Student Union, Karlstad University and Värmland County Council. On Monday 29 April, the first of three videos is launched, with the message “you make a difference”.

“We are the first to draw attention to sexual harassment among students. As a witness, you can use different simple ways of making a difference to the person being harassed,” says Tanja Ekegren, manager of the men’s violence against women project at Värmland County Council.