Consent First Campaign
Every positive, safe and respectful interaction starts with consent. That’s why our campaign starts here. The Consent First Campaign is about making consent education a core part of becoming a Heriot-Watt student, not an optional extra. Consent isn’t something you can opt in or out of in real life, so learning about it during your time at university shouldn’t be optional either.
Harassment, including sexual harassment and gender-based violence (GBV), affects our community. This campaign exists to challenge that reality, change behaviours, and build a campus where respect is the norm, not the exception.
Making consent education mandatory means everyone starts from the same place. The same knowledge. The same expectations. The same message: boundaries matter, and everyone deserves to feel safe.
Campaign objectives
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Make the Consent Matters module mandatory.
Consent Matters gives students the tools to understand boundaries, recognise when something isn’t right, and feel empowered to act.
Making the module mandatory ensures:
• Everyone receives the same essential knowledge
• Harm can be prevented earlier
• Students feel more confident navigating relationships and speaking up
Consent education should be a shared foundation, not something only some students access.
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Increase visibility of Report and Support.
In the short term, we expect to see more students coming forward. That’s not a failure of the system, it’s a sign that students feel safer, more informed, and more confident about seeking help.
Over time, as awareness grows and behaviours change, we expect the number of incidents to reduce. That’s the long-term change we’re working towards.
Why is this an important issue now?
The Big 6 Survey 2025 highlighted why this work is urgent.
1 in 7 students (14%) reported personally experiencing harassment, unwanted sexual attention or gender-based violence while at Heriot-Watt. (Sample size: 492)
Among students who had experienced harassment or GBV:
• 38% knew where to go for help
• 21% did not know where to go
• 18% were unsure
• 20% said they didn’t seek support at all
When asked about trust in the University to take reports seriously:
• 47% of all respondents reported high trust
• 30% were unsure
• 4% reported low trust
But trust dropped sharply for those with lived experience:
• 61% of students with no experience reported high trust
• Only 47% of students who had experienced harassment or GBV reported high trust
• Low trust rose from 2% (no experience) to 17% (experienced)
The data also shows that experiences of harassment and GBV are not evenly distributed:
• Around 1 in 5 women reported experiences, compared with 1 in 20 men
• Scottish-domiciled students reported higher levels than students from the rest of the UK or overseas
• Women, undergraduates, later-year students, and Scottish students were the most affected groups overall
These numbers aren’t abstract. They reflect real students, real experiences, and real gaps in awareness, trust, and support.
Why we support a mandatory approach to consent training
It ensures that every student, regardless of background, course, or confidence level, has access to the same learning around consent, respectful behaviour, and boundaries.
Voluntary training often leads to uneven uptake. The students who may benefit most from this knowledge are often the least likely to access it. Making consent education mandatory closes that gap. It also:
• Helps students recognise harmful behaviour earlier
• Builds confidence to seek support or report concerns
• Sends a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously
• Strengthens trust in reporting processes
A mandatory model allows us to clearly and consistently link consent education with Report and Support, so every student knows:
• where to go for help
• how to make a report
• what support is available to them
What can you do to help?
Every student plays a role in making our campus safer. Here’s how you can be part of the change:
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Complete the Consent Matters module
You can find the module on Canvas.
We’re working to make it mandatory, but you don’t need to wait. Do the module, encourage your friends to do it, and if you’re a sports club or society leader, get your members involved too.
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Use what you learn and apply it in your own relationships.
Trust your instincts. Notice when something feels off. Support others if they’re experiencing harm.
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Report concerns, big or small.
Use the University’s Report and Support platform. Your voice matters. Your actions matter. And together, we can build a campus where consent truly comes first.
Full Time Officer Lead
Cameron Fields, President
Get in Touch