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The South West’s Best Student Publication
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ISSUE 723 26 OCT 2021 exepose.com @Exepose
THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1987
Students boycott clubs in response to spiking fears AU MISCOMMUNICATION SPARKS OUTRAGE AND CONFUSION
Image: Chloe Pumares
Bridie Adams and Oliver Leader de Saxe Editors
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TUDENTS across sports clubs have been left outraged and confused following the Athletic Union’s miscommunication surrounding club socials. In an email sent to club captains on Monday 18 October from AU President Katy Daglish, clubs were informed that socials were being paused “due to a large number of complaints and disciplinary cases” that the AU had received. The email went on to state that “until we can be sure that these incidents are a thing of the past and that there has been a serious step change in social behaviour, we will have to take this zero-tolerance policy.” Clubs were also informed that Christmas dinners would also be subject to this pause. Following this email, the Amateur Boxing Club sent an open letter to Daglish, highlighting how blanket bans on socials feel unjust, as well as asking for a clear timeline and clarity over which specific events led to the current situation. This was followed by a second open letter penned jointly by the Taekwondo, Jiu Jitsu and Karate clubs which also outlined that “holding every club responsible for the actions of clubs that we do not
associate with beyond being AU affiliated” is unfair. The second letter also pointed out the disproportionate impact that this would have on smaller clubs recovering in a post-pandemic landscape, highlighting all three clubs have less than 55 members. Both letters made clear none of the clubs involved had engaged in either hazing or initiations, and that the social pause would impact local businesses. Exeposé reached out to the Amateur Boxing, Taekwondo, Jiu Jitsu and Karate clubs for comment. A spokesperson from Jiu Jitsu said: “At Jiu Jitsu, socials allow us to connect with other people based on a common interest. The AU sent an email on Monday evening right before close for the day, creating mass panic within the community because it was out of nowhere and didn’t detail much.” On Tuesday 19 October, clubs received a second communication from both the AU President and from Alison Davidson, Director of Sport and Grounds. In the statement, Davidson acknowledged that all endorsed AU socials being cancelled for the foreseeable future was a “miscommunication”. She stated that the pause was only for “this week to allow the AU staff to re-engage with all club committee’s following the earlier training which was held in Freshers’ Week.” She also stressed the importance of the event declaration form,
stating “it is not a box ticking exercise and needs engagement of your committee in the process.” Many students have been outraged by the AU’s decision. An anonymous student told Exeposé, “It’s a kick in the teeth for all the clubs that actually put so much work in to make sure members are comfortable at socials.” Two students admitted that they have concerns surrounding hazing, but they explained that they found the AU’s disciplinary action against all clubs unfair. One student said: “The social events did mainly centre around playing drinking games but we were always asked by committee members whether we wanted to drink and told that there was no pressure. I always felt pretty safe and looked after but I’ve heard disturbing stories. I’ve also heard general rumours about bullying taking place. Seeing as hazing and initiation rituals by clubs are secret and not advertised anyway, banning socials won’t prevent them. I think the AU needs to investigate the individual clubs rather than doing a blanket ban. I’m now just worried that I won’t really make any friends.”
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Megan Ballantyne News Editor
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campaign of student nightclub boycotts in response to a wave of spikings across the country has reached Exeter, with an Exeter ‘Girls’ Night In’ declared on Monday 25th. This is alongside a national nightclub boycott on Thursday 28th October. The Exeter boycott is being organised on the @officialgirlsnightinexeter Instagram page, which at the time of writing, has 2000 followers. The page has published an, ‘Open Letter to the Clubs and Bars of Exeter,’ stating that they have, ‘received many testimonies describing spikings and harassment that have happened in Exeter, in every club and bar.’ They believe that, ‘the onus is not just on clubbers to protect themselves,’ and want clubs to make sure that they have a “defined action plan for if someone has been spiked”. The boycott comes in the wake of concerns spreading across the Exeter student community regarding the many spikings in nightclubs and bars since the beginning of term. These concerns have been heightened by reports of spiking by injection in clubs all across the country, with an unofficial report of a student being spiked with a needle in Fever and Boutique Nightclub in Exeter. In response to these concerns, Exeter University sent an email to all students on Thursday 21 October, expressing sympathy for those who have experienced or been affected by spikings. They urge those who think they have experienced an incident of spiking to report the incident to Devon and Cornwall police, “so that they can investigate without delay,” and to make use of the university Wellbeing Service to receive support following the incident. In a new measure to help protect
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students, the university has also, “made spiking detection kits available for collection from halls receptions, the Estate Patrol Office in Northcote House, the Ram bar, the Sports Park, and the St Lukes SID desk. These include drink stoppers and passive alarms as well as testing strips.” The leaders of the Sit Down and Shut Up movement, who recently organised a protest against the Exeter Students For Life group, say that this peak in spiking incidents, “re-emphasizes the idea that women will never be safe.” The group are also known for organising a protest against sexual assault on campus last year. “We have had meetings in regards to the Club boycott which is happening on the 25 of October and are planning for there to be a ‘Big Night In’ on campus.” The group told Exeposé. Details of this are to be confirmed at a later date. At the time of writing, most nightclubs around Exeter have been silent in response to public concerns. Exeposé spoke to Charlie Kay about a Spiking Awareness Event his group, Safe Night Out Exeter (Instagram @safenightoutexe), plans to run with Unit 1 on the day of the Monday boycott. Their usual Sin Mondays club night is cancelled in response to the Girls’ Night In. Exact details of the replacement event are yet to be confirmed, but Charlie does think clubs should be doing more to protect their customers from spikings. “I believe there is not enough being done to combat this issue, certainly from the viewpoint of a student in Exeter… We are hopeful that this event will kickstart the conversation between students and clubs, and begin to create a safer, more enjoyable nightlife for Exeter.”
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