#NeverOK is a city-wide campaign between Bath Spa University and its Students’ Union, University of Bath and its Students’ Union, Komedia and the Student Community Partnership.  

The campaign aims to tackle sexual misconduct, domestic abuse, all forms of harassment, bullying and discrimination.  

Gender-based and sexual violence are global, national and local issues, which can affect anyone, including students.  

#NeverOK is a campaign that encompasses support for victim-survivors, awareness raising, and training with the primary aim of changing the culture around gender-based and sexual violence.  

NeverOK educates students and staff about unacceptable behaviours, empowers students to speak out when they see inappropriate behaviour and encourages students to speak to support services if they witness or experience harassment or assault.  

It includes a poster campaign placed in prominent positions across Bath Spa University campuses which dispel common misconceptions about Gender-Based Violence and connects student survivors to support services.   

Find out more about #NeverOK resources. 

Awareness raising also takes place at a number of planned events during the academic year. This includes a combination of events designed to actively encourage engagement in specific Gender-Based Violence and Harassment themes, often in tune with national events and awareness days/weeks, as well as having a presence and visibility at events for mental health and wellbeing more generally.   

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment-specific events generally consist of having a stand, banners and take-away information, members of the Sexual Violence Liaison Officer team present to engage students in conversations about Gender-Based Violence and Harassment and the support available, alongside activities. Activities could include students creating a post-it note vision board of different behaviours constituting healthy and unhealthy relationships. Local specialist agencies such as The Bridge, Bristol and Somerset's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, often join us at these events. 

Gender-Based Violence and Harassment awareness raising at events take place each year during national campaigns, such as the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Violence Awareness Week. We also run events in conjunction with Bath Spa Student Union’s Sexual Health and Guidance Week.   

Awareness raising also takes place via social media and online newsletter posts in tune with national awareness dates such as Domestic Abuse Awareness Month and Sexual Violence Awareness Week.  

From academic year 2025-26, all new BSU students are signed up to the Consent Collective pathway when they register, which requires them to complete modules which combine video content with interactive questions.

The modules explore the nuances of consent, both sexually and more generally, and advise how to practice active consent and mutual respect in all walks of life. 

The modules include exploration of how gendered inequalities and unequal power relations are reflected in and reinforced by harassment, sexual violence and abusive behaviours. They also include modules on bystander intervention, links to support services and how to respond to disclosures from others.   

Bath Spa University’s Gender-Based Violence Network, comprised of academic and professional services staff working in the field of Gender-Based Violence, is collaborating to expand upon the above consent modules. 

The Tender RE:SET Award included training for Student Officers to develop and deliver projects and campaigns about domestic abuse and sexual violence.   

Three members of staff (two from Bath Spa University Student Wellbeing Service and one from the Bath Spa Student Union) completed the OCN Level 3 Developing & Delivering Domestic Abuse Training, which will enable the delivery of in-house training sessions to staff and students.   

The Gender-Based Violence Caseworker in Student Wellbeing Services delivers regular training sessions to student-facing services and academic departments; currently this training focuses on definitions of Gender-Based Violence and how to respond to student experiences of Gender-Based Violence.   

From academic year 2025-26, staff will also receive online training content via the Consent Collective resource). 

Future plans for staff training will embed training within the mandatory staff induction training programme.