Oge, as Students’ Union President (2019/20), my role is to support all students, and ensure we are doing all that we can to support the most marginalised. Student sex workers need to pay for their tuition fees, course expenses and rent, as well as other additional costs. This means that they find other means to fund their education.

Sex work is work. You may choose to be a full service sex worker, engage in sugaring and have a sugar daddy/mummy, or find other ways to sell sex. Whatever your profession may be, whether accidental or intentional, all workers deserve to be safe and free from violence. The red umbrella became a symbol for the rights of people engaged in sex work during the 2001 Venice Biennale of Art, when attendees used them to identify each other.

In November 2019 there was a display in the Students’ Union Square of red umbrellas to remain in solidarity with the fight for social justice and workers’ rights for all those involved.  in the sex worker industry.

Oge Obioba, 

Your Leicester Students' Union President 2019/20

Events List - December 2019

Sex Work in Higher Education

• This session discussed some of the research conducted in the area of sex work. Academics in this field, including colleagues from The University of Leicester, discussed the prevalence and the practical implications of engaging in sex work. 

Craftivism Session for Reclaim The Night

• This session was  an opportunity for students to get creative together!  Students created a placard of empowerment,  to protest and awareness to use during the Reclaim the Night walk.

Standing together for community

• This was an interactive session as  part of a pilot project to introduce bystander education at The University of Leicester. Encouraging members of the community to be active bystanders has consistently been proven to help reduce the prevalence of unacceptable behaviours such as sexual violence. 

Sex positivity By Burlesque Society and Pole, Fitness and Dance Society

• This workshop explained  how to be body and sex positive, especially when dealing with demands of the modern world. 

Reclaim The Night

• For too long, womxn have been made to feel afraid of walking alone at night, due to harassment, assault and violence. This event acted as protest against gender-based violence with students bringing thier placards and banners that had been made at the ‘Craftivism’ session,

Trans Sex Workers - The fight for workers rights

• This session explored the most marginalised in the industry, looking at their struggle and fight for rights in the sex industry.

Sex work and tackling sexual violence

• This session discussed the University’s stance on student sex workers and show our ongoing support for those engaging in this work. This session will also mark International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers (on 17 December 2019).

Events November 2019

Report and support information session

• This session was a chance for people to come along and meet with organisations that work to support people affected by sexual violence. FREEVA, Jasmine House and The University of Leicester Welfare Team will be available.

Report and Support at Leicester By HeForShe Society

• This was a panel discussion where three guest speakers from different organisations sought to answer any questions from students, and also there was an open discussion about sexual violence.  

We need to decriminalise sex work! 

• This session provided attendees with an understanding of the practicalities of sex work, and was led by external experts in this field, including the English Collectiveof Prostitutes (ECP) and SWARM (Sex Work Hive). This session will also share the voices of student sex workers and those working to support them.

Sex work and The Law

• This workshop discussed the law around sex work and  discussed how to work safely and within the law. 

Films / TV show screenings

• As part of the campaign a number of showings throughout the day were held to raise awareness and educate students around the topic of sex work (Over 18s only), this included Sauvage,  Juno Mac -The laws that sex workers really want, Nicole Emma – What a sex worker can teach us about human connection and Tilly Lawless – Sex work is integral to the feminist movement