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SWINBURNE STUDENT MAGAZINE 2016
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CONTENTS
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editorial some do’s & don’ts
6 for life at swinburne in 2016
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you dont have to be queer to sit with us
13 swinburne will divest! 16 a good old fashion book burn
20 you got kik? 26 pyschiatry and the world of whoring
30 talk about it Swine Issue #8 Published February 2016
34 the pros and cons of an IBL placement
www.swinemagazine.org Swine is published by the Swinburne Student Union Email us at advertising@media.ssu.org.au for advertising enquiries
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treats
SQUAD Nick Kennedy Editor-in-Chief
Sarah Ryan
Lead Designer
Jared Berman Promotions & Distribution Officer
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Illustrator and Editor
Josh Coates
Pedro Cooray Managing Editor
credits Drew Collins Photography Scott Renton Writing Zane Clark Writing Ana Tinc Writing Garrity Hill Writing Abigail Michell Writing Laura Hickey Writing
EDITORIAL
Welcome to SWINE Issue 8, and also, to 2016, the Year of Our Lord George Swinburne. From here onwards we find ourselves steeped in textbooks and lecture notes, but this lifestyle of perpetual torture isn’t all bad, as you’ve got the ever lasting energy of the academic staff, student union, and student run clubs to make it all that little bit easier - and SWINE, of course. So from all of us in the editorial team here, we wish you the best of luck, truly, for your studies. Looking into 2016, it’s hard to ignore the storm clouds already rolling in. Liberal backbencher Cory Bernardi has started the year off in f lying colours, ordering an inquiry into the Safe Schools program, asking the burning question of whether religious people’s beliefs deserve just that little bit more control over other people’s (or rather, kids’) lives.
Kanye West’s magnum opus/game changer/auditory finger painting ‘The Life of Pablo’ has finally released, accompanied by it’s own ‘ascent to heaven’ videogame, where you play as none other than the guy’s mother herself, Donda West.
Turning our eyes inwards (try do this if you want a horrible headache), the picture doesn’t really get much rosier. The Swinburne Bookshop Co-op is currently locked in a battle with itself over whether it will let itself close. Head to page 16 if you want the whole picture. According to a report released by the National Union of Students, 73% of students have experienced some form of sexual assault or harassment during their time of enrolment at university, with 23% of those cases occurring on campus. Abigail Michell has the story on page 30. So as you can see, SWINE has come out of its initial years of innocence and naivety, stepping into the deep dark real world - you’ll be seeing more comprehensive and detailed work from us this year, as we’ll be working hard to report on stories that matter to you, the students. If you have anything you believe we should be looking into, contact us on: media@ssu.org.au or editor@media.ssu.org.au Enjoy the magazine, Nicholas Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief
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’The Life of Pablo’ is definitely going to be a divisive record (let me know when anything that comes out of the West camp isn’t), but something that I’m sure will always remain dear to our hearts is listening to Kanye screaming “big booty bitch for you, big booty bitch for you” then squealing like a pig, kinda like Oprah possessed by a million lost souls.
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SOME DO’S & DON’TS FOR LIFE AT SWINBURNE IN 2016
Scott Renton University can provide some of the best years of our lives when we do it right, but it can also be a little tricky at times. Because I’m 20 now and I’m entering my third year at Swinburne I figured I knew enough about it to give you guys some tips, without knowing so much that I come across as a know-it-all asshole (we’ll see though). So I’ve compiled a list of some (hopefully) helpful Do’s and Don’ts based on what I’ve learned so far in my time at Swinburne. You probably disagree with some of them, and it’s quite likely I forgot a lot of things, but to make up for these shortcomings I categorised it all because who cares what it says if it’s easy to read, right?
Academic
I know I shouldn’t start with what many of us may view as the least exciting aspect of uni (who wants to learn???) but it is certainly the most important. We’re paying thousands of dollars for our education out of our own pocket hopefully you all knew this and I haven’t just dropped a bombshell - so doing all that you can to maximise your academic output is a good idea.
Do: Your very best to make it to all your tutes and lectures Don’t: Think you can actually make it to every 8:30 class (prove me wrong, kids). Do: Hand in assignments on time, you lose marks for late work and ability to meet deadlines is actually an important trait in the real world Do: The readings. Sometimes they can be boring, but they shouldn’t be that bad if you’re interested in your course, and they make a massive difference to your final result. Do: Utilise the library and it’s resources to study Don’t: Use the library computers to watch a movie when people need them for exam study, we get you’re taking a break (probably) but still not that cool Do: Book a group study room in the library to increase your productivity by 10,000 %
Don’t: Expect to get textbooks cheap anywhere but on the internet Do: Get into good study habits early on. Form a routine, set aside times when all you’re gonna do is study. One of the best and worst things about university is that we pretty much make our own schedules. This means that things get done when we feel like doing them, but they might not get done at all. Do: Everything to the best of your abilities. P’s get degrees, but HD’s get E’s (E is for employment and I understand this statement is a bit of a stretch but it rhymes so?)
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Don’t: Leave half eaten food in there it smells SO BAD (Don’t fart either there’s no ventilation and it will stay in there for days)
Uni is just one big party right!? If you want it to be then yeah totally, but I see a lot of first years come in with this attitude and end up frying their brains beyond repair with Jager bombs and darts in the first few weeks. I’m not gonna tell you how to have fun but I mean, keep this stuff in mind:
Social Do: Explore Glenferrie Road - One of the most appealing things about Swinburne is that there’s so much to eat/drink/do right on our doorstep Do: Take breaks/have lunch/go on romantic walks through the park next to campus, it’s really nice 8
Don’t: You dare litter in that park Do: Abuse the shit out of student discounts Do: Visit the Student Union bar on campus, The Hammer and Swine. Drinks cost less than most chocolate bars Do: Try coffee from all the local cafes Don’t: Drink so much coffee that you become a zombie without it and reach a point where you can’t attend a tute without a f lat white hooked directly into your veins (this absolutely happens) Do: Read Swine Magazine (duh) Do: Get some bevs and burgers into you at the Nevermind Bar (Nevs) Don’t: Go to Room 680 on a Tuesday for the love of God Do: Visit the Soy House milk bar on campus for an exotic array of of sugary drinks and candy to get you through the day Do: Visit the Lido Rooftop Cinema it’s so cool Do: Ask for advice on Swinburne Stalkerspace Don’t: Hold your breath on that one though Do: Join clubs, talk to people in class, smile, mingle, socialise - make some friends, you hermit Don’t: Expect to find a free place to park all day at uni (If you’ve found the Holy Grail then you may be an exception)
Personal
It’s pretty hard to get good results if you’re unhealthy or unhappy so taking care of yourself is crucial at uni. This often gets overlooked as too many of us are willing to drink 6 Red Bulls and smash an assignment overnight instead of doing it gradually over the 6 weeks prior (I can hear your guilty conscience screaming right now). Healthy Body + Healthy Mind = Good marks (Don’t hold me to that) Do: Try to find time for exercise or another hobby (music works a treat) to take your mind off study stress from time to time Don’t: Let this hobby become a procrastination technique Do: Eat healthy - No matter how much you’re craving 3 Big Macs in the middle of the exam period, fruit will be better for your body and mind Don’t: Let that stop you from indulging from time to time (sometimes only a Mars Bar can stif le our tears)
Do: Things that make you laugh when you’re taking study breaks - Hang out with your mates, watch Seinfeld, set fire to things - being in a good mood makes university so much easier, so spread some love and soak up all the positive vibes you can
I hope my list was somewhat helpful in guiding students both old and new on their arduous 12 week journey before we get like 2 months off to do whatever we want (never take this for granted). University is what you make of it, and it’s certainly possible to have a sick time and get great marks (that ship may have sailed for me but it’s not too late for you guys). I’ll leave you with a passing thought I had after writing this list: Uni is like a hot shower on a freezing morning; incredible while you’re in there, but you always know the cold reality of the real world waits beyond its borders. Enjoy it while you can, my friends, and thank you for reading.
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Do: Consider joining the gym/pool on Glenferrie road to get some exercise in (student discounts!!)
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YOU DON’T NEED TO BE QUEER TO SIT WITH US
Zane Clark It was my first day at Swinburne. I’d missed one of my classes, and as a result, I had three hours to fill before the next one started. The prospect of a fourth coffee over my book wasn’t as enticing as the first three had been, and my neck was starting to cramp up anyway.
reminiscent of an old gentleman’s club, I came to a strange little mezzanine between another older build and the first, where the corridor stopped. Down the stairs to my right, and I was thoroughly lost, but still had two and a half hours to spare. There was a large courtyard, or a small plaza, with a cafe called Haddons on the opposite side from myself. After grabbing a soft-drink, I was wandering outside when I saw a banner on the window of the old building: Swinburne Queer Department. “Why not?” I thought to myself. It was tucked away in the upstairs corner, and from inside was the sound of laughter. Aggressively purple walls, a bright red lounge, and a girl with blue hair greeted me as I stepped in. “You should come to our movie night later this week!” I was hooked.
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I went for a wander; to look at the older buildings, and to learn the way around campus a bit better. After ascending an antique half-spiral stair, and walking through the top level of a building
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Soon, I became a fixture to the place – I had more friends from in there than I had from my course. Funny, clever, f lawed, and interesting friends. I live with one of them, now. The place has changed a little, in the interceding year. The walls are a softer shade, and I’m running it, now. Our previous Queer Reps are amazing people, whom it has been a privilege to meet. Hopefully, I can do as well as they did. Come by for a coffee, sometime. We’re a friendly bunch, and new people are always warmly welcomed. You don’t need to be queer to join us, and you don’t have to be out to have our support. If you ever need anything at all, please come and visit. If you’re not quite there, yet, or feeling shy, you can also send me an email: queer@ssu.org.au. We wear pink on Wednesdays.
You don’t need to be queer to join us, and you don’t have to be out to have our support
SWINBURNE WILL DIVEST!
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december’s announcement and what it meant
Ana Tinc & Garrity Hill On 7 December last year, Swinburne University took its first steps towards full divestment. Divestment from fossil fuels means to stop investing in the oil, coal and gas industries on the moral basis that these industries are the main contributors to destructive global climate change. With December’s announcement, Swinburne released a new Responsible Investment Charter that will commit the university to taking account of environmental and social impacts in its investment portfolio. The Charter also commits the university to full Transparency of its investment holdings’ carbon emissions and to report annually on its progress in implementing the Charter.
The announcement is a result of studentstaff collective, Fossil Free Swinburne, campaigning throughout 2015. Fossil Free Swinburne’s campaign formed part of a global movement calling on institutions to stop investing in coal, oil and gas companies. To date, 35 universities have committed to partial or full divestment globally, including the Australian National University. Close to 500 institutions, representing $3.4 trillion globally, have committed to dump their investments in coal, oil and gas.
Next steps for divestment at Swinburne
Since the announcement, Vice-Chancellor Linda Kristjanson has received over 120 emails from students, staff, and the wider community, thanking her for her leadership.
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Although we cannot yet say that Swinburne has fully divested, we at Fossil Free Swinburne are very pleased with this announcement because it demonstrates our university’s commitment to the divestment process despite its complications. They face a unique challenge, as most Australian fund managers are ill-equipped to provide appropriate divestment portfolios and manage comingled funds. We respect Swinburne’s willingness to be pioneers in a very new area of investment, particularly for Australia. The fact that they have released their Charter at this time shows that they have taken the first steps, are committed to the process, and are determined to lead Australian universities in the journey towards full divestment. We do, however, recognise that this is only the first step, and look forward to continuing to work closely with our university’s Executive Team in 2016 as they pursue that divestment.
Campaigning towards a greener campus 15
The Fossil Free Swinburne student campaigners are far from finished their fight towards environmental change. Since the divestment decision, they have decided to broaden their scope and pursue making Swinburne’s campuses as environmentally sustainable as possible. There are plans in the works for the campaigners to help introduce campus-wide composting, and starting up a campus garden. Stay tuned!
How to get involved
New students are more than welcome to join our Swinburne Environment Community. For a chance to meet like-minded people, gain valuable job experience and help contribute to a better world, I encourage you to jump in board and join us. Contact: Ana Tinc (your SSU Sustainability Rep) at sustainability@ssu.org.au Garrity Hill is the founder of the studentstaff collective Fossil Free Swinburne. She is a PhD candidate and tutor in Sociology at Swinburne. Her research focuses on people’s engagement in environmental problems.
A GOOD OLD FASHION BOOK BURN
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Nicholas Kennedy Swinburne University students are about to see some damage done where nobody would have believe things could get worse; university books. Nobody enjoys gazing upon a particularly dense reading list for any subject, especially when we all know that all those ‘recommended readings’ end up hitting us in the bank account. In report published by the Swinburne Bookshop Co-Op Board of Directors, a Nielsen Bookscan survey found national textbook sales fell to -18.6% in 2014, down from -5.7% in 2013. Those findings make current Swinburne CoOp manager of 35 years, Rolf Wilkens, say that “Swinburne Bookshop will never return to a trading profit situation again.” In the report, Mr Wilkens details encroaching national suppliers, declining campus traffic, and the explosion of electronic course content as key elements in turning textbooks into a “grudge purchase”.
Publishers have also experienced negative growth nationally, the report detailing industry wide undercutting of suppliers by publishers providing directly through online stores. So, what does this mean for students? The Bookshops Board of Directors is now advocating to hand over the bookshop to an outside provider such as The Co-Op, which now runs 60 campus bookshops across Australia. Campus bookshops in Queensland Univeristy, La Trobe, Melbourne University, Victoria University, and James Cook University are among those that have closed and been replaced by The Co-Op or similar provider.
Mr Wilkens and the board attempted to put forward a closure proposal at an AGM in March of 2015
Sources within the Union claimed that the Swinburne Co-Op Board announced the meeting as quietly as possible, also ceasing to accept new membership applications so as to avoid major student turnout and opposition. Looking at the Swinburne Bookshop Facebook page, it appears the AGM was only announced the day of. The Student Union’s education officer, Anthony Osborne, said that outside businesses rarely treat bookshop positions as anything other than a business, ignoring specific student needs, such as quality of materials; “pencils, art supplies, that sort of thing, you can’t inspect that stuff online,” he said. “We need something that’s for the Swinburne community, and by the Swinburne community,” said Mr Osbourne, saying that while the outlook for national sales is grim, trying times experienced by the Swinburne Co-Op specifically are also due to the closure of Swinburne’s Prahran and Lilydale campuses, along with their respective bookshops. “We’ve analysed it and they only had one year of losses, and that was due to redundancies,” said Mr Osborne, “If you go down there they’re currently selling
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After mediation over the future of the bookshop proved unsuccessful at the start of last year, Mr Wilkens and the board attempted to put forward a closure proposal at an AGM in March of 2015. The Swinburne Student Union, which opposed the proposal, stepped in, electing three new board members, Mark Schier, Suzanne Byron, and Brendan Spackman-Williams, postponing it indefinitely.
a $200 crystal decanter for some reason, what student is going to buy a crystal decanter?” he said. “They’ve had students do final year projects on the financials of the bookshop, but they haven’t implemented anything”, said Mr Osborne. Mr Osborne said he did not know the findings of those projects. A court ordered audit of the bookshops finances is currently being carried out, set to be released in early march.
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As is stands currently, the three new Student Union Bookshop board members are blocking any attempts made by the other five members for a unanimous vote in favour to close. A Supreme Court ‘wind up’ case was lodged by the five other board members in an attempt to push through the closure, which remains undecided. Swinburne Bookshop board member Brendan Spackman-Williams says a significant restructure needs to take place, noting that Swinburne Bookshop staffs more people than both Monash and RMIT universities.
“The bookshop is being run like an organisation that wants to close”
“I think we’re well overstaffed” says Mr Spackman-Williams. “The bookshop is being run like an organisation that wants to close” he said. “The bookshop is being run the same way that the SSAA runs clubs. The structure and basis is there, but there isn’t a huge amount of drive, support, or passion behind it. They’re not set up to succeed.” Scott Soper, the manager of RMIT’s new Campus Store, says that universities “no longer see bookshops as a core part of their business”, comparing them to long gone university services such as food provision (university run cafeterias). RMIT’s Co-Op shut down in 2013, the university deciding to reinvest in its own campus store as a student service, rather than handing over to an outside provider. A decision that Mr Soper says was driven
“They’ve become more of a general retailer than a university bookshop, and the university didn’t think that was in the best interest of its students”
“They’ve become more of a general retailer than a university bookshop, and the university didn’t think that was in the best interest of its students”, he said. “For example, they couldn’t guarantee that that the right books would be available to students, if at all”, said Mr Soper. Another reason Mr Soper outlined was based on student experience. “We employ students as staff, as a part of their training for the future and their careers”. Also harnessed was RMIT’s focus on fashion and design, with some student’s projects becoming products for sale in the store itself. “We don’t see the bookshop succeeding as a business, more as a student service…you have to define the success differently.” said Mr Soper.
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by the fact that nationwide chains were unable to guarantee student learning supplies, instead shifting their focus to profit over service.
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WHO’S GOT KIK? the who’s who of instagram comments
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Scott Renton While talking to some mates about what motivates a person to comment on the Instagram pics of the rich and famous (another issue altogether), it occurred to me that most people fall into a few loose categories when they choose to comment on a photo. I tried my best to sum these up and hopefully you can see where I’m coming from. If I forgot any or made some mistakes I apologise, but here they are:
the tagger:
the token social media user:
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Probably the most common leaver of comments, the tagger is your typical, every day Instagram user. Identifiable usually by commenting @friends_name, followed by some sort of inside joke between mates, the tagger is found mostly on funny images or videos, but can be spotted all over Instagram linking their pals to noteworthy content. We’ve all found ourselves browsing a seemingly endless supply of pics when we’ve come across a dumb meme or video and decided to share it with some mates, so there is a little bit of tagger in all of us.
The heart and soul of Instagram, these are the type of people you find commenting on material posted by Virgin Radio Lebanon on Facebook and posting photos of their breakfast on Instagram. The token social media user can be found anywhere on Instagram, particularly on pages that post a lot of topical memes. You will often find them commenting things such as “savage”, “squad”, “on point/f leek“ or “#goals”. A combination of all four is also known to have occurred. Common emojis used by this breed include the a-okay hand, the laughing face, fire, and a combination of the frog and a cup of coffee (tea). While it may irritate some of us (me) that these people are happy to live their online lives as one big cliche, Instagram would be nowhere without them. A big thanks to anyone reading (does anyone read this?) who falls into this category.
the 12-17 year old boy:
An important element of Instagram commenting, the 12-17 year old boy features most prominently on girl’s photos from the same age bracket. If you find a comment on one of these girl’s photos, chances are the kid has left a few more sneaky attempts at picking up on her friend’s pics as well. Some of the common terms used by the 12-17 year old boy include “kik me”, “DM me”, “wow” and “stunning”, as well as any other adjective that will make a girl want to sleep with him 100% of the time. This species of commenter uses emojis frequently in order to attract the attention of a female counterpart. Some of the more common ones include the big eyeballs, the face with heart eyes, the sleazy creep face (you know the one) and once again, the fire and a-okay symbols. The 12-17 year old boy helps give girls everywhere the confidence to post photos of themselves and Instagram will always benefit from their existence.
the supportive girl friend:
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Most of us would get nowhere in life without the love and support of our mates and the same applies in the world of social media. The supportive girl friend can be spotted mostly on photos of her mates, but occasionally pops up with a nice comment on a photo of a girl she barely knows. This commenter will not only like a mate’s photo, she’ll be sure to leave a message of support as well. Common phrases used by the supportive girl friend include “omg your (insert feature)”, “you are perf ” or on an appreciation post, something along the lines of “you are the most amazing friend ever” etc. The supportive girl friend’s favourite emojis include all the red heart, the yellow heart, the green heart, the blue heart, the purple heart and the heart with the arrow through it. This is probably the most caring commenter you will find, so we all owe a big thanks to the supportive girl friends out there.
the relative:
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The relative means well and we love them, but sometimes they can come across as embarrassingly sincere. It may be my sense of humour, but I find the formality of comments posted by anyone over the age of 30 to be pretty funny. The relative is usually spotted on holiday photos saying something like @full_name_1967 “Looks fun! Hope you’re having a great time. Say hi to Mum and Dad for me xx”. The relative, particularly the cool aunty, can also be found lurking on drunk photos of you, where they will make a comment along the lines of “Someone has had one too many! xx” and “I’ll have to show this one to your mum! xx”. The relative, while somewhat overly formal and adult for my tastes, is a good person and someone worth having in your comments feed. Appreciate them while you have them.
the spammer: This commenter can be found pretty much anywhere on Instagram, but they tend to pop up on celebrity photos and the accounts of public figures. Usually trying to get people to follow their account or sign up for some sort of scam, the spammer will comment things such as “like my page for 1000 free followers” or “I get $700 a week for doing nothing! Here’s how >>>”. The spammer doesn’t use many emojis, they are more into eye catching arrows and hyphens, but the ones you will usually find are the star, the money bag and the wad of cash with wings. The spammer serves no real purpose on Instagram other than to annoy, and for that we do not like them.
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the horny foreigner: I left this one till last partly because I didn’t have that much to write about it and partly because I didn’t have that much to write about it. The horny foreigner pops up on Instagram accounts of celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and the like, and will always find time to leave their thoughts. This commenter has a below average grasp of the English language, but they wont let that stop them from hitting on famous women. Phrases such as “you the sexy”, “I kiss you please” and any other misogynistic sentences they can construct with a sub-par command of English are used often and with a lot of confidence. I wait with great anticipation for the day a horny foreigner manages to score himself a partner. Hopefully you can see where I’m coming from with these and if not, thats cool too. Maybe you can think of something I’ve left out, or maybe you disagree altogether, either way feel free to let me know. Hope you enjoyed.
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PSYCHIATRY AND THE WORLD OF WHORING
(Originally published on workingclasswhore.wordpress.com) I’m writing this article from a hospital bed, where I’ve been stuck for the past week. I started this blog mostly out of boredom, I’m going to admit, but also out of a desire to stop bugging my friends with every little detail about my job – they know enough about my sex life as is, from preferred positions (on top – if I can give my thighs a workout whilst I’m earning my rent, of course I will) to all the mishaps (I’ve smashed more elbows
into noses than a football player, at this point). I need this for myself, though, and for it to be any good, I need to be brutally honest with me and an audience, if I ever gather any. At this point, I’m all the clichés – I got into sex work basically as soon as I turned 18, out of a desire to escape a conservative Christian upbringing, and also because my issues with men meant I was essentially treating every relationship like a client/provider relationship; I figured I may as well get some money out of the deal. I’m struggling with my mental health and my identity, like any young person is – the only difference is I’m juggling five different personas.
I’d honestly be astonished if there’s a single sex worker out there who hasn’t had issues with the mental health industry
Yeah. That makes this whole “who am I?” shit hard.
(Well, that last one is a lie. Until I sort my shit out, I’m not cut out for a 9-5, Monday to Friday job. What young student is?) In Australia, the government only covers six sessions with any mental health specialist. Where someone who works a vanilla job would spend all six talking about their problems, I only get three to four. I’m sick of justifying myself, I’m sick of the constant stigma against our jobs; you’d think mental health professionals, out of anyone, would understand the burden of stigma and alleviate it, but it’s the exact opposite. Honestly, I get better reactions from my lecturers – my potential employers, if I exit sex work – than I do coming out to my psychologists. You can see why someone would stop trying, it’s easier to self medicate anyway. Vodka doesn’t judge.
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Back onto the actual topic. I’d honestly be astonished if there’s a single sex worker out there who hasn’t had issues with the mental health industry. Every time I see a new psychologist I have to spend at least two to three appointments reassuring them no, I’m not being exploited, I’m not being pimped, I legitimately enjoy my job, I’m not only in my job because I can’t keep another.
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I’ve certainly felt the pressure to be quiet about this job, stay closeted. It’s all well and good when someone in a retail job vents about their shitty customers in detail, but when I make a mere mention of a client trying to take the condom off, it’s cold stares and awkward silences. God forbid a woman have sex, let alone receive compensation for it (and no, those shitty orgasms we’ve faked with all clients don’t count). This pressure is dialled up to eleven when talking with mental health specialists, who seem to make it their sole job to get you out of yours. I fully understand many people might go into sex work due to their mental health, and become trapped in it. It’s not all “happy hookers”. The problem is – as is endemic in the sector – psychologists and psychiatrists not respecting their patients choices. Whilst I’m happy to discuss my work and the reasons for going into it in detail with them, the lack of respect for my choices means they often keep pressing after I say “no”, or have already provided clear reason. I am happy to discuss my job in detail as to how it relates to my mental health, but not any more than any other client, who has a civilian job, would. It’s worth mentioning that there’s been very few mental health professionals who’ve come out and straight up told me to quit my job. It’s the constant questioning, the waste of time examining it time and time again, the focus on my clients – especially the bad ones – and the fact that it’s clear they see me as sex worker first, person second. My job has, in most areas, enhanced my mental health. It’s given me financial freedom from my family and the ability to rely on myself. It’s given me the immense privilege to not worry about money day to day, to cover a friends
My job has, in most areas, enhanced my mental health
There’s the anxiety I get when I turn up to each door, wondering if this guy will be the one who leaves me dead in a ditch
not sure how to toe, the awkward pause when I bring up my job in conversation. The rounds of introductions at new gatherings, bracing myself for the “what do you do?” question.
Of course, there’s been the downsides. There’s the bad clients, who have left me rocky for days, with nightmares plaguing my sleep. There’s the anxiety I get when I turn up to each door, wondering if this guy will be the one who leaves me dead in a ditch. There’s the line between fully out and fully closeted I’m still
My job has left me better, mentally, than any other job I’ve had, and I’m sick of the thought otherwise. Whilst I’m never going to have to stop training psychologists to think of me as person first, okay with their choice sex worker second, I’d hope that, in future, we could begin to see this a little less. That mental health professionals could begin to respect the choices and agency of their patients, and treat sex work like any other job. I’m never expecting this to happen. But, hey, a girl can dream, can’t they? Kristen X
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rent if they need it, to ensure I’m always going to have something to eat that day – something which I wasn’t afforded before. It’s allowed me to meet more men – many of questionable status, but some the most kind men I’ve ever let into my life – and forced me to bring down those barriers around male intimacy, which has solved many of my issues with men. For the first time since I was 14, I’ve found myself comfortable around men and at ease in a room of men – although I won’t hesitate to point out the gender disparity, it no longer terrifies me like it once did.
Some of the negative effects on my mental health are due to stigma. Not all are, though. Any job is going to come with tradeoffs – the retail worker has to deal with customers yelling at them, the CEO has to deal with the stress and the late hours, the lawyer has to deal with unsavoury clients and moral conundrums. Whilst I’d argue that my job has more downsides than civilian jobs, most of this is due to stigma, and those that aren’t – the bad clients, the anxiety – is a tradeoff, like any other job.
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TALK ABOUT IT
Abigail Michell In 2015 the National Union of Students (NUS) ran it’s “Talk About It� survey which asked female students about information regarding safety, sexual assault, harassment, student services, accommodation, and gender based difficulties that they may face on campus. The results indicated that women students face a wide range of different experiences that may impact on not just their studies but their mental health, their ability to engage in student life, and their success at university.
This came in many different forms, from staring and leering, stalking behaviours, inappropriate advances on social networking sites, repeated requests for sex or dates, unwanted touching, the list goes on. Over 15% of those surveyed indicated that they had been physically mistreated in some way; incidents ranged from being pushed to slapped, had things thrown at them, hair pulled, choked/ strangled or burned, or even had a weapon used against them. 76% of respondents reported that their attacker was male. The difference between sexual harassment and sexual assault is that harassment is certain unwanted behaviours, advances, requests for sexual favours, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual assault is defined as any sexual behaviour that makes a person feel threatened, frightened or uncomfortable, any sexual activity that a person does not consent to, or the use of emotional or physical violence to force another person to engage in a sexual activity.
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While the survey and its results are quite long, the most troubling aspects I find are those that deal with sexual harassment and sexual assault. Particularly when it comes to reporting such incidences. It should be alarming to everyone that nearly three quarters (73%) of respondents had experienced some form of sexual harassment or unwanted sexual behaviour during the term of their enrolment, although not necessarily on campus.
Worryingly 27% of all respondents reported that they had experienced some form of sexual assault, and 14% of all respondents indicating that they experienced rape, attempted rape or assault by penetration. 96% of victims of sexual assault reported that their attackers were male.
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I find that one of the most alarming findings from this survey is the number of people who reported an incident; less than 6% of those that experienced any form of harassment, mistreatment or assault, reported the incident to anybody in an official role at their university. Even less, 5% or respondents, reported such behaviour to the police. Most commonly the reasons for not reporting these incidents were that the victims weren’t aware it was a crime (37%), they thought they could deal with it on their own (42%), feelings of embarrassment or shame (31%), or that they didn’t think it was serious enough to report (81%). Disturbingly a full quarter (25%) of those that didn’t report indicated that they expected to be blamed for what happened to them. This is unfortunately a very real reality for many women who do report these crimes, an outcome of the systemic misogyny that affects us all.
This number is backed up by the fact that of those that did report the incident to the police, or to the university over 71%, were not satisfied with how the incident was dealt with and responded to. Which further reinforces the motivation for women not to report in the first place. It is clear from reviewing these results that not enough is being done to prevent these types of crimes. Universities across Australia need to make much more of an effort to foster a culture of consent and equity among genders. A systemic form of misogyny exists in our culture that permeates everything in a way that makes it sometimes difficult to see, like water to a fish. We all need to take steps to educate people, and if these numbers indicate anything then especially young men, of the issues of gender equity. Both universities and student organisations need to run consent and respectful
Fair and sensitive treatment and support of victims of sexual assault and harassment is paramount and clearly lacking
Of particular importance is the education of support staff, health workers, security staff and police officers. It is absolutely unacceptable that fully three quarters of those that report an incident be unsatisfied with the way they were treated and the incident handled. Fair and sensitive treatment and support of victims of sexual assault and harassment is paramount and clearly lacking, and far more training needs to be done to help those workers help victims. Violence and harassment should not be tolerated by anybody, from anybody,
and it is clear from these results that not enough is being done to combat these behaviours. There are many issues that affect women students disproportionately that were covered in this survey, the final report issued by the NUS listed many recommendations to not only universities and university organisations, but to the Federal Government as well. This report can be found at http://www. nus.org.au/_talk_about_it If you feel threatened, harassed or are in danger you can call Swinburne Security at any time on 9214 8176, or call the police on 000. There is also a Women’s Space at the Hawthorne campus available to all female identifying students on the second level of the AD building, opposite Haddons, next to the Queer Space. It is a safe and supportive space for all women on campus. You can also contact me, the SSU Women’s Representative at womens@ssu.org.au for any reason or support you may need.
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relationship training for all students and staff, as well as anti-sexist campaigns that challenge existing gender stereotypes, and call for improving conditions for women. Many universities have procedures in place for treating harassment and assault victims, but these need to be clarified and publicised more.
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THE PROS AND CONS OF AN IBL PLACEMENT
Laura Hickey As with anything, there are pros and cons to doing an IBL Placement. As someone who has completed an IBL placement, I’d say that it was worthwhile as it provided me with an excellent starting point to launch my career. If you’re tossing up between doing a placement or not, this should be able to help you make your decision.
PROS
Regardless of your degree, undertaking a placement in a field relevant to where you want to build your career is going to help you compete with other graduates further down line, without a doubt. It’ll also build your confidence around selling your skills and abilities in your field, which is harder to do if you have minimal work experience.
getting sm.r.t! i mean, s.m.a.r.t
You’d also be surprised at how much you will actually learn during your placement. Not just knowledge relevant to your field but also relevant to business and life in general. Seemingly basic things, like how to behave professionally, how to communicate with senior executives, what a LinkedIn profile even is, and how to work under pressure.
makin’ that money
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All IBL placements offered through Swinburne are paid positions. The salary can vary from employer to employer but all offer a fair wage. If you are only working part-time whilst studying, this is a great opportunity to learn on the job and save up some extra cash while doing it.
You’d be surprised how many doors undertaking IBL will open up. Many students I know have been offered paid positions upon completing IBL or graduate positions once they finished their degree.
it’s who you know
Undertaking IBL in a multinational company can also open up opportunities to build a network overseas, so if you ever look for work overseas you’ll have a head start
Networking an incredibly important part of any career and an IBL placement is a great place to start understanding how it works and building a small network - even if it is just with your boss and colleagues. You will find most people will want to help you and support your career.
CONS
working full time Working full-time is a big commitment; a huge change from a uni lifestyle. It mean you won’t be able to pull a rager Tuesday night and you’ll probably also miss out on uni events and other activities.
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This might be a shock to the system for some but can ultimately help you understand what life is like after university in a lot of fields.
delaying university study
Undertaking IBL means adding an extra year onto your degree. So, while you’re gaining that extra experience, you’re being kept out of the job market for longer than some people would like.
You also remain a full-time university student in the eyes of university and law. This is a big commitment and probably the main con of doing an IBL. But most students who have completed a placement will tell you it is well worth it. You also have no guarantee that once you finish your degree you won’t be spending months or more looking for your dream job.
still paying for uni Another downside of undertaking IBL is that through Swinburne you will pick up two IBL course units. These subjects are pass or fail only and are worth 50 credit points each. They also cost $1,500 each and you will find that you don’t get a lot for that money. So despite being paid you are also paying the uni $1,500 a semester for not being there. Which adds onto the overall HECS debt, which is also something important to consider.
TREATS
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FILM REVIEW
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Félix et Meira
`Maxime Giroux’s film provides a refreshing relief from the large-scale, plot-light and visual-heavy movies which are currently saturating the market. This intensely personal, parochial film follows the complexities of the relationship between the two titular characters. Interestingly for a cinematic piece, the central themes are expressed not through the use of visual motifs, but through sound. The sound which permeates the film the most is that of silence. Unnecessary or non-natural sounds are avoided, in favour of a minimal style
characteristic of the classic existential films of the 60s, in particular ‘The Graduate’, which Giroux references frequently throughout the film. One particular aural motif is the use of language – at first, we hear only Hebrew, then French and English are slowly introduced as Meira’s world opens up. Interestingly, Meira’s husband, Shulem, uses English only once during the film – when he is forced outside of his own comfort zone. Music is also used as a sign of encroaching modernity, as the subversive Meira expands her horizons beyond her
strict Hassidic world. First, by playing popular Quebecois music to her toddler against her husband’s wishes, and secondly as she walks by Félix’s house, where classic jazz is playing. Initially, the film could be set at almost any time in history after the invention of the electric light. The encroachment of modernity is portrayed as both a liberating force, and a form of oppression by itself – as Meira’s world becomes more like Félix’s, we start to see more evidence that this film is contemporary. But the modern world is also lonely, large, and isolating. Intensely personal facial close-ups, and large numbers of people crammed into small spaces are replaced by panoramic views of people standing alone, or only a very few people in a large room.
that choice is not without consequences
The sparse use of non-incidental sound gives the film a charming, personal touch. It allows the viewer to really think about and relate to these characters; who are both f lawed, sympathetic, and so, so lonely in their own ways. If you’d like a film you can think about, one which lets you fill in some of the blanks, and which isn’t all fizz and f lash, Félix et Moira provides a refreshing palate cleanser from the latest saccharin superhero film, or morally bitter romantic comedy. 4/5 stars Pedro Cooray
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The over-arching theme, in Félix et Meira, is that choice is a good thing, but that choice is not without consequences. In leaving her stif led, conservative life behind, Meira seeks to join Félix in his lonely, unfulfilling existence. In many ways, this opposition of inf luences is displayed throughout the film – Félix is always alone, but always in brightly-lit and often outdoors spaces. Meira is shown in dim, internal spaces more often than not. The introduction to the characters is the best example of this – as Meira emerges alone from the dim kitchen into the light of a Shabbat The over-arching theme, dinner, so Félix is shown walking away in Félix et Meira, is that from the camera, framed as a darker choice is a good thing, but figure against a lighter background.
ALBUM REVIEWS 40
Good Morning Glory Solitaire Records Find it: on Bandcamp
To hear Good Morning tell it, ‘Glory’ their second EP from Solitaire Records - is about desperation. Not just any desperation though, the kind of desperation so vividly portrayed by the pathetic form of eternal downtrodden failure that is Kirk Van Houten from The Simpsons. These are tunes born from an eventual climax that has past, or perhaps, one that was missed entirely - “Overslept” is a hazy continuation of the work Good Morning has put out in the past, each element struggling in its own fog through a series of warbling verses.
Good Morning remains endearing by never attempting to convince anybody that their inability to rise bright and early makes them any more interesting than any of those normal people - they’re just venting in the calmest way possible. A lot of what shows up here is ground that Good Morning has already tread though - there are f lirtations with saxophones on “Give Me Something To Do” and a pretty sweet outro jam on “The Great Start” - but Good Morning are now running the risk of simply a band that people say “you sound like mac demarco, nice” to and move on with their day. Nicholas Kennedy
Blank Realm Illegals in Heaven Bedroom Suck Records Find it: bedroomsuckrecords.com
Blank Realm’s Illegals in Heaven is brimming with emotions that seemingly f lick schizophrenically to any point of the spectrum. At parts, listening through the 43 minutes that comprise this record feel like listening to some poor souls desperately bucketing water out of a sinking boat, or barrelling down a mountainside as fire rains around them, and at others you feel the crushingly slow implosion of self as though a person is slowly having rocks piled on top of them, except this time its not rocks, its feelings.
That’s not too say there isn’t a clear cut, if restless vision at the heart of the music. If anything, this is the most cohesive Blank Realm have ever sounded, owing slightly to the upped production quality on every song here. Illegals in Heaven is a pretty perfect image of the equation Blank Realm + better production + lovey dovey songs, another step away from their primordial roots and onwards towards some bright new future. The gills are more of an aesthetic thing these days and they’ve traded rolling around in ooze for walking upright, but they haven’t lost the webbing between their fingers just yet. Just as Grassed In didn’t resign itself to just being the next album after 2012’s Go Easy, Illegals in Heaven is fearlessly uninhibited by everything that Blank Realm already did and thusly got bored of, pushing this effortlessly interesting band off on a whole other current. Nicholas Kennedy
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Opening track ‘No Views’ is an anthem of a song that also plays on the same field as every sad eyed electronica producer making songs about their own apathy, but has some fucking gusto to it. “I got no views on it/it’s just something that I put myself through”, as though the band has no idea what it is that’s actually shrieking out of the amplifiers and crashing of the cymbals.
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THE LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF THE SSU
Jared Berman The study of history is one of the most important things to me. It is vitally important to know where we came from to help us grow and improve for the future. We can learn endlessly from those that came before us and paved the way. To that end the SWINE will be publishing the PHD thesis of James C. Murphey, The Life and Tragic Death of the Swinburne Student Union. The first two chapters can be read at www.swinemagazine.org/history For now here are the first two paragraphs to the introduction:
It had an enormous staff, a multi-milliondollar budget, and ran dozens of critical services and cultural programs. Just six years later, it collapsed
This research asks how and why the Swinburne Student Union fell. We’ll start by examining the history of the Union and the details of its demise. We’ll look at the key ideas and internal tensions that shaped the organisation’s growth through the 1970s, ‘80s and into the ‘90s, at the power struggle that consumed it in the early 2000s and the slow and uneven slide into civil war and ruin that followed. We’ll then examine some theories that explain the Union’s grizzly end. We’ll look at the role of the Howard Government’s Voluntary Student Unionism legislation and University administrators, and see that ultimately they were not decisive in the Union’s collapse. Rather, a dearth of student solidarity, brought about by powerful forces of social fragmentation, will be posed as the pivotal factor.”
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“This is the story of the Swinburne Student Union – its life and its tragic death. It took thirty years of organising, training, campaigning and planning to turn Swinburne’s quaint SRC into the sophisticated student advocacy and welfare organisation it became. By the end of the twentieth century it had grown into one of the most respected and inf luential student organisations in the country – it had an enormous staff, a multi-million-dollar budget, and ran dozens of critical services and cultural programs. Just six years later, it collapsed.
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