‘Lad Culture’ Talk For North East Students
Students from across the region can take part in a summit about how to tackle ‘lad culture’, which is a first for the North East.
Students from across the region can take part in a summit about how to tackle ‘lad culture’, which is a first for the North East.
The National Union of Students want to raise awareness after their survey found one in four students had suffered from unwelcome sexual advances, like groping and touching.
Experts say laddish behaviour such as, sexist and homophobic language and behaviour is seen as normal by some people. But, it’s claimed it can lead to problems on campus.
The summit’s being held at Northumbria University, Doctor Sue Abbott, from Newcastle Business School, said: “Importantly, this is also not just an issue for women; men also suffer in a lad culture that is oppressive and which defines masculinity in such narrow terms. And while the issue is clearly national rather than regional, we wanted to take a lead in addressing the issues through this North East summit.”
Dave Llewellyn from Good Lad told us it’s being made worse through social media: “A lot of these behaviours a certain individual would never do by themselves, but as soon they’ve had a few beers and they’re out with the boys these sort of things come out.
“It’s great to have good conversations and jokes with your friends without crossing that line.”
After speaking to students in the region we’ve heard of daily occurances of ‘laddish’ behaviour towards people who work in bars in Newcastle.
Some students though, believe it is just harmless fun, unless the jokes are taken too far.