Savannah Hulsey Pointer, FISM News
Durham University in Durham, England, has offered a class to students on how to “safely” work in the sex trade, according to a report by The Daily Mail.
The school chose to expand its curriculum after it was made aware that there were a growing number of students who are funding their higher education working as prostitutes. The class is offered online and is advertised as a way for students to learn how to stay “safe” while working in the sex trade.
According to the publication, the university was accused of “failing to protect students” and “legitimizing a dangerous industry” by offering its students training on how to be better at prostitution.
“The Russell Group university insists it is simply trying to teach its students to make informed choices after they had received requests from a small number of concerned students over a number of years, noting that engagement in sex work, which includes online activities, is a feature within the HE sector across the UK,” the Daily Mail reported.
According to the university’s student union, the first online class, held via Zoom, was fully booked and proffered students with “an interactive course that explores the challenges student sex workers can face.”
The university’s statement about their class made an attempt to clarify, saying that they did not encourage any student to engage in prostitution but were simply attempting to “provide support” to any students already engaged in the practice who might face a “social stigma” due to their chosen profession.
More details about the class came in the form of a report by GB News, which revealed that the course was created by the Durham Students’ Union and was designed to offer support and advice to both staff and students involved in the sex industry. However, according to Breitbart News, the university backed the email sent to staff and students, where they described the training as important to “ensure students can be safe and make informed choices.”
Included in the curriculum were outside speakers who were touted as “experts” in providing help and support to those in the sex trade.
Students are complaining about the class, with one telling reporters that, “This could cause a real problem, making it part of university culture and making work in the sex industry a normalized activity. Everyone who I’ve spoken to is pretty disgusted that adult sex-worker training classes are being promoted by our own students’ union,” the student added.
Minister of State for Universities of the United Kingdom, Michelle Donelan, had harsh words about the project. “Any university that does this is badly failing in their duty to protect students,” Donelan affirmed.
“It is right that vital support is offered to women who are being exploited,” the minister continued. “However, this course seeks to normalize selling sex, which has no place in our universities.
“We know this is a sector that can target young women and students and trap them in the role,” Donelan added. “Universities should be focusing on raising awareness of the dangers of this and supporting women.”