Sexual consent education
Research conducted by UniSAFE found that 62% of university students and staff have experienced gender-based violence and almost 1 in 3 have experienced sexual harassment.
Of those who said they had experienced gender-based violence, only 13% reported it, and almost half (47%) said they felt uncertain whether the behaviour was serious enough to be reported.
At Oxford Brookes, we believe that everyone should feel empowered when it comes to consent, and we all have a part to play in creating safe, respectful and inclusive spaces for our community.
That’s why all students at Oxford Brookes need to complete the mandatory sexual consent course.
The University has partnered with the sexual health charity, Brook, to provide students with a mandatory sexual consent course, so that everyone can have a shared, comprehensive understanding of consent.
The course consists of five modules that will support you to:
- understand the law as well as the gender norms, stereotypes and cultural factors which may affect someone's ability to consent
- communicate about consent with partners
- know what to do if you witness or experience sexual harassment or violence.
Make sure you’ve completed your online enrolment.
Click the yellow button below to ‘Start the sexual consent course’.
Sign in to Moodle with your Oxford Brookes ID and password.
Type or copy and paste the word ‘ready’ into the enrolment key box.
Click 'Enrol me'
Click on 'Consent Modules' and enter the course.
We understand that sexual consent can be a sensitive topic. If you are worried about the content or you have concerns about taking the course, please contact the Consent team at consent@brookes.ac.uk for further support or to opt out of taking the course.
The University has worked closely with students, Brookes Union and external consultants to develop the sexual consent education course, and it was students who called for the course to be made mandatory as part of the Brookes Together campaign.
If you have feedback on the course, or you’d like to be involved in sexual consent education work at Oxford Brookes, please contact the Consent team at consent@brookes.ac.uk so that we can work together to represent your voice.
Between 2021 and 2023, the Consent team ran a webinar series to open up conversations with staff, students and members of our wider community about the complexities of sexual consent education.
Watch the full series of Let’s talk about consent! webinar recordings on Panopto.
Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA), Tasha, is employed by Oxfordshire Survivor Space and funded by the University to exclusively support Oxford Brookes students.
Tasha can provide emotional and practical support and advice to students who have experienced sexual violence at any time. She works alongside, but independently of, the University's Safety and Welfare team within Student Support Services.
You can refer yourself to the Oxfordshire Survivor Space ISVA service:
- Call: 01865 725311
- Text: 07570 671892 (text only)
- Email: BrookesUniISVA@survivorspace.org.uk
- Website: www.survivorspace.org.uk
Sexual Assault Referral Centres
Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) provide dedicated support if you have experienced rape or sexual assault – including providing a confidential space for interviews, examinations and collecting evidence. Some may also offer counselling services.
Thames Valley SARC Bicester
SOLACE Centre
Police House
Queens Avenue
Bicester
OX26 2NT
Tel: 0800 970 9952
Swindon Sanctuary SARC
The Gables
Shrivenham Road
South Marston
Swindon
SN3 4RB
Tel: 01793 781917
Other support
- Victims First Specialist Service provides specialist support for victims and witnesses of crime including rape and sexual abuse.
- Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse & Rape Crisis Centre offers a free and confidential service to self-identifying women who are dealing with the effects of sexual violence, and to anyone who is supporting them.
- SurvivorsUK offer a free and confidential service to anyone who identifies as male, trans, non-binary, has identified as male in the past who are dealing with effects of sexual violence, and to anyone who is supporting them.
- Galop offer confidential and independent practical advice and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people who have experienced sexual assault, abuse or violence.
