Students Encouraged to S.H.A.G. Responsibly as NUS Raise Sexual Awareness in Colleges

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The National Union of Students (NUS) has been trying to raise awareness amongst students in issues of sexual health by organising the National Student Sexual Health Awareness and Guidance (S.H.A.G) week.

The union is encouraging students to take responsibility for their own sexual health and has be staging events to help inform young people in Further Education. Students are particularly prone to sexually transmitted diseases, as the highest infection rates are found in the 16-25 year-old age range.

During S.H.A.G. week, there were campus based clinics, film nights and a vigil to acknowledge World AIDS Day on 1st December. The NUS is also organising a petition to present to the government, by asking students to write pledges urging them to fulfil promises and meet targets they have set regarding AIDS and sexual health in the Third World.

Sexual Health “Bigger Concern than Ever for Students”

NUS Vice President of Welfare, Veronica King explained the situation: “Sexual health is a bigger issue than ever before for students – again this year we have seen massive surges in rates of STIs amongst students, and the impact of the government de-prioritising sexual health is that many students are facing huge GUM clinic waiting times. The sexual health services in this country for young people are a postcode lottery, and this is unacceptable.”

Ms King continued: “National Student S.H.A.G week aims to co-ordinate the sexual health campaigns students unions throughout the country are running around World AIDS day, to educate students about their sexual health and their rights- and the uptake we have had for this campaign across the country has been incredible. There are a thousand reasons why each and every one of us has a responsibility to be campaigning on sexual health and rights”.

Dan Atkinson

Raising sexual awareness in education or at home? You decide one, or the other, or both, in the FE Blog

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