The National Union of Students (NUS) has announced that Leeds University Union is one of nine students’ unions to be participating in its Lad Culture Pilot Scheme.

After conducting a Lad Culture Audit earlier this year, NUS found a serious lack of support and services to help those affected by sexual harassment and violence on campus, and the newly launched pilot scheme aims to remedy this.

Alongside other students’ unions including Oxford University and Kings College London, the scheme hopes to implement a framework of policy and practice in universities across the country that will help tackle lad culture and provide support for its victims.

Susuana Amoah, NUS Women’s Officer, said: “NUS will be working closely with Leeds University Union to identify what its unique issues are and how we can best support their local strategy for tackling lad culture on campus.

“We want to offer support, encouragement and resources to move this work forward on the ground, whilst building our knowledge and understanding of what this issue looks like in different places.”

Gemma Turner, LUU Equality & Diversity Officer, said: “We operate a zero tolerance to sexual harassment policy within the Union with an objective of stamping out harassment on campus and across Leeds.

“We are delighted to be working with NUS on a new pilot scheme to tackle Lad Culture on campuses. We hope that schemes like this will go some way to make students feel safer and more comfortable on campus and around the city.”

Jessica Murray