Durham University defends sex work training for students

No Durham University has defended its decision to hold training sessions for students who work in the sex industry.

Michelle Donelan, the Minister for Further Education, had accused it of “legitimizing a terrible industry that relies on women’s exploitation.”

However, the institution claimed it was acting appropriately by providing students with safety tips.

Last week, the students’ union issued advice to employees and students participating in the sex industry. Durham University said the courses  were launched following requests “from a small number of concerned students”.

“We are emphatically not seeking to encourage sex work but we are seeking to provide support to our students,” a spokesman said.

He added the university intended to ensure “social stigma” did not stop vulnerable students from accessing support and the training session had been “misinterpreted”.

However, Ms. Donelan said the university was “badly failing” in its duty to protect students.

“I’m deeply concerned that any university is legitimizing a dangerous industry which thrives on the exploitation of women,” she said. It is right that vital support is offered to women who are being exploited. However, this course seeks to normalize selling sex, which has no place in our universities.”

She went on to say that students in need should be assisted by their institutions and that the government had granted universities an extra £85 million last year to help those in need.

The existing maintenance loan allocations, according to Jake Butler of the student money website Save the Student, “fell dangerously short of the cost of living.

“Students are forced to rely on parents, part-time jobs, savings, and potentially even more desperate ways to make ends meet,” he said.

Durham Students’ Union welfare and liberation officer Jonah Graham said the training’s target audience was those who support students “so they understand the legal, safety, and wellbeing concerns of students and how to respond to disclosures sensitively”.

“Anyone who cares about the safety of students should support this training and educate themselves about its actual content before making poorly judged comments,” he said.