George Lawlor is furious he was invited to a session teaching men about sexual consent

A UK student has caused controversy by saying men don’t need to be taught how not to be a sexual predator. But he says he’s no ‘rape apologist’.

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“BRAND me a bigot, a misogynist, a rape apologist, I don’t care.”

That was British student George Lawlor in an article he wrote after he received an email inviting him to “consent lessons” about sexual behaviour.

The University of Warwick student was unhappy to be included in a mass email invitation, via Facebook, to the I Heart Consent Training Sessions event that, over 90 minutes, would explore “myths and facts about sexual violence ... and discuss definitions of consent and healthy relationships”.

An unhappy Mr Lawlor responded in provocative article headlined ‘Why I don’t need consent lessons’ in which he unleashed on group and their “loathsome” invite.

“Like any self-respecting individual would, I found this to be a massive, painful, bitchy slap in the face. To be invited to such a waste of time was the biggest insult I’ve received in a good few years. It implies I have an insufficient understanding of what does and does not constitute consent and that’s incredibly hurtful. I can’t stress that enough.”

He explained that he “didn’t need to be taught not to be a rapist” because that much “comes naturally to me, as I am sure it does to the overwhelming majority of people you and I know. Brand me a bigot, a misogynist, a rape apologist, I don’t care. I stand by that.”

He went onto to say that the sort of people that would benefit from the lessons wouldn’t attend them in the first place.

I don’t blame him for his opinion. I do think he’s young and misguided. His article reflects profound, well-intentioned ignorance.

— Jane Casey (@JaneCaseyAuthor) October 15, 2015

Speechless at how someone can undermine such important education that fills a crucial hole in our curriculum, awful: http://t.co/LUAkasB9dL

— Ione Wells (@ionewells) October 14, 2015

“The only people who’ll turn up will be people who (surprise, surprise) already know when it’s okay to shag someone. No new information will be taught or learned.”

The article concluded with a message to the event organisers who he said were not heroic and were simply wasting their time.

“Instead they selfishly make themselves feel better by indulging in the delusion that all that’s needed to save the vulnerable from foul predators is to point out the blindingly obvious ...

Self-appointed teachers of consent: get off your f***ing high horse.”

He was then flooded with criticism which eventually caused him to delete his Twitter account, but in an interview with Metro.co.uk he sought to explain his position further.

“It may be beneficial for some people and stop instances of abuse, but it just seems like wasted efforts.”

The invitation was insulting, he said.

‘I don’t consider myself to be somebody who doesn’t know what consent is. Maybe I just have too much faith in my peers.

According to Metro.co.uk, Mr Lawlor said there was “definitely” a problem with sexual harassment on campuses around the UK.

“Something needs to be done but I don’t think this is the best way.”

Dr Michael Salter, a senior lecturer in criminology at Western Sydney University, told news.com.au the issue was Mr Lawlor hadn’t actually attended the workshop.

“So his assumption is that he will be told to ask for consent and that’s it ... it’s much more complicated than that.”

Such courses weren’t simply focused on rape prevention as many girls had uncomfortable first experiences with sex.

“It may not be rape per se but it may be unwanted, awkward, uncomfortable because it was because that first sexual contact was unwanted or undesired. Particularly teenage girls can feel under pressure to say yes to sex for a range of reasons.”

Schools played a vital role in “being real” with young people about the sexual encounters that were having, he said.

Dr Salter didn’t think young men should be worried about having such sessions. “It might be uncomfortable and challenging ... But any potential embarrassment is nothing compared to the trauma of sexual assault. I suspect he would have much less outrage if he had gone to the workshop.”

Originally published as George Lawlor is furious he was invited to a session teaching men about sexual consent