Students From Sydney Uni’s Wesley College Published A Journal That Slut Shames Female Students

This article discusses sexual assault. 

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In yet another chapter in Australia’s odyssey of rampant sexism and assault on university campuses, it’s been revealed that female residents of Sydney University’s Wesley College are being slut shamed and ridiculed in the college’s annual, student-funded journal.

The University of Sydney Union website Pulp, reports that the students are being specifically targeted for their willingness to “put out” with awards being given to students who are deemed to have the “Best Ass” and “Best Cleavage”. Students are also being named as the “Biggest Pornstar” or “Kinkiest Collegian”.

The journal features a graph called “The Rackweb” which links students who have allegedly hooked up, with the title of “Mrs. RackWeb” going to the female student who has slept with the most students in the college. “We might be sexist, but you lovely bitches and hoes should know we’re trying to correct this,” the journal reads.

Pulp claims to have spoken to a number of female students (who have chosen to remain anonymous) who have been affected by the journal, one of which had her sexual assault mocked by students in the college. “I know for a fact a guy would have written that and it’s just so misogynistic and so inappropriate to write,” she says. “And that’s published forever. I can’t do anything about that. There’ll be online versions…”

“It’s just slander handed to everyone on a platter and students voluntarily, let alone gladly, accept it… People just don’t understand. They think I’m exaggerating and my disenchantment has no substance. But it’s worse than people could ever imagine.”

The journal also details incidents of female students being force-fed alcohol, with “Freshers” being deemed as students who allow “all the hook-ups a sleazy, pussy-hungry adolescent could dream of” and “whose only redeeming assets include their enthusiasm, obedience, and steadfast determination to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and willingness to put out for their senior”. Pulp reports that many students left Wesley College after a being pressured to be photographed in an annual nude calendar to raise funds for Wesley’s Overseas Student Experience (OSE).

These are only some of the serious allegations being levelled at Wesley College, however the Master of Wesley College Lisa Sutherland, told Pulp that when it came to the journal, since it was not “an official or sanctioned college publication” it would not be routinely censored.

“Wesley College is not involved in the production of or distribution of the ‘Student Journal’… I cannot comment on the validity of the contents as I have not seen nor read this publication,” she said. “It is not available publicly or online. I understand it is produced by The Wesley College Students Club Inc. and distributed to its members only”. This isn’t entirely true, however: apparently all 270 Wesley residents finance and receive a copy of the journal.

It’s clear that this problem of harassment and assault in university colleges is far more pervasive than what is being detailed in the journal. Pulp has heard stories about “boys bashing on girls’ doors in the middle of the night, goon (colloquially termed “slut juice”) being poured into freshers’ mouths against their will, males poking female residents unexpectedly with rulers while they took showers, and some students walking around telling freshers to look out for the rapist on the floor (and later revealing this was a ’joke’)”. So far neither Wesley College or the University of Sydney have commented on the matter.

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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

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