Durham University Freshers Group - The Times

[HannahStern]

According to The Times, Durham University has been rocked by claims that new students planned a competition for “posh lads” to have sex with the poorest girl on campus.

Incoming freshers discussed the plans on social media and another group chat talked about rape. The group called themselves Durham Boys Making All The Noise.

www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/durham-university-freshers-aimed-to-have-sex-with-poorest-student-ggsch723j

I have first hand recent experience of the way Durham treats any kind of misogynistic sexual predator activity, and I can happily report that it is very unforgiving.

@janinlondon

I have first hand recent experience of the way Durham treats any kind of misogynistic sexual predator activity, and I can happily report that it is very unforgiving.

That's refreshing to hear. We don't want another Warwick.

@goodbyestranger

If these boys are incoming Freshers then by definition the problem is with their schools or homes rather than with Durham.

Good point.

I went to Durham and it sort of doesn't surprise me that much but at the same time I don't think it is a particularly Durham thing. I think it's a public school boy thing and although Durham has a larger proportion of them than other unis they are everywhere in the Russell group as has been seen by the St Andrews and Warwick scandals.

For anyone whose kids are looking I'd say generally the hill colleges have a better social mix than the Bailey colleges and avoid Hatfield and Castle like the plague unless you are going to fit into the public school cliques.

@goodbyestranger

If these boys are incoming Freshers then by definition the problem is with their schools or homes rather than with Durham.

When we have someone as dishonourable as Boris Johnson leading our country, we can hardly be surprised that this behaviour has become normalised.

This is a far wider problem than Durham.

I agree that this is an example of arrogance, disrespect and entitlement that has been legitimized and personified by Johnson and his cronies.
The Tab article gives examples of racist comments too and the absolute conceit of posters who are not even curious about the lived experience of others or aware of their own relative priveledge. The "othering" of people less fortunate than themselves is depressing in a group of students who have succeeded in gaining places in an institution that rejects so many excellent state school pupils.
Like it or not, Durham often appears quite content to cultivate it's image as an elite institution.
And I am concerned about their high- handed allocation of students to colleges (especially working class women and bame students) apparently to satisfy the colleges' needs to appear balanced rather than to support student wellbeing and experience.

I’m with goodbye stranger and ginfordinner ( great name ) on this one .

I could be missing something, but from what I can see, the screenshots of these pathetic chats by these boys were referring to some other chat where other boys were apparently talking about shagging the “poorest” girls? Nobody has provided a direct screenshot of this particular chat as yet - it was more a case of it being referenced in the chats that were reported?

On the screenshots I’ve seen, there is nothing to indicate the contributors are “public school.” They come across as absolutely despicable yes, but do we actually know anything about their backgrounds? I was struck by how immature, defensive and lacking in confidence they sound actually and wonder if they’re “outsiders” in their current schools (hence the need to big themselves up online).

The sad truth is, there are boys with horrible attitudes like this in all walks of life. No school, uni or workplace is exempt, unfortunately.

The sad truth is, there are boys with horrible attitudes like this in all walks of life. No school, uni or workplace is exempt, unfortunately.

quest1on the idea of posh boys/ poor girls is going to be overwhelmingly coming from independent school kids. It's also fair to say that the arrogance often seen at unis comes from the over entitled not usually very bright section of that community too - it's been that way forever. Much literature is based on it and many, many column inches dedicated to it too, either side of the divide.

This is a recent tweet from University College (Castle) Durham, which for many years admitted only men, and which many people still presume to be a centre of misogyny: "We’re flying the Castle flag to celebrate that our new Principal Professor Wendy Powers & her partner Lisa have finished their quarantine." If anyone is familiar with the new principal they will know that she lives up to her name - she is indeed a powerhouse, and things are not as once they were. This kind of behaviour is not being tolerated at Castle, or indeed anywhere else in Durham University.

@goodbyestranger

The sad truth is, there are boys with horrible attitudes like this in all walks of life. No school, uni or workplace is exempt, unfortunately.

quest1on the idea of posh boys/ poor girls is going to be overwhelmingly coming from independent school kids. It's also fair to say that the arrogance often seen at unis comes from the over entitled not usually very bright section of that community too - it's been that way forever. Much literature is based on it and many, many column inches dedicated to it too, either side of the divide.

I agree. This behaviour is learned either at home or school.

@GalaxyCookieCrumble

Rubbish, my son is at Durham and said it's nonsense.

It’s ok women, a male said it was rubbish, so that’s that. Nothing to see here.

I have first hand recent experience of the way Durham treats any kind of misogynistic sexual predator activity, and I can happily report that it is very unforgiving.

That's really good to hear janinlondon

I know Durham Uni well and every year there is something like this. Drug rape is a huge problem in Durham but it's not talked about much.

@wherestheotherone

I know Durham Uni well and every year there is something like this. Drug rape is a huge problem in Durham but it's not talked about much.

And that isn't good to hear

Just reading this thread and it is worrying, my dd has had a offer from Durham, which she is thinking to go, and being ethnic minority and working class, I really am unsure of her going to Durham now.

This story was pretty big at the time, so presumably your DD herself took it into account when considering where to apply, though?

One boy had his place withdrawn by the university.
www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/23/durham-university-withdraws-freshers-place-over-abhorrent-online-posts

I saw this at Durham uni albeit nearly 20 years ago. Ex boyfriend went there and was a part of a small very privileged group. Examples....

One drove around in a range rover. Another kept mentioning how she could buy a local house on her credit card. Another visited prostitutes. They were the cliché rich London kids. They even had a cleaner in their house share. Mind boggling.