Oxford University releases welfare and support figures
CW: Mental health, rape, sexual assault
The University of
Oxford has published its statistics for Student Welfare and Support Services in
the 2018-19 academic year.
The report shows...
Counselling should do more
At no point did anyone ask if trying to overcome sexual assault in under four hours seemed challenging. Quite quickly the object of the sessions shifted from overcoming the assault to merely addressing it, and this adjustment brought its own tensions with it. Repeatedly bringing upsetting memories to the forefront of my mind had consistent repercussions outside of my allotted counselling time, and we frequently needed the full 50 minutes just to explore the problem fully, let alone consider possible coping mechanism or how I was going to get better.
Use of University Counselling Service increases
There were notable increases in problems presented relating to anxiety, self and identity, and transitions
“There is always more that can be done”
Oxford is still some way from addressing its mental health problem, writes Abby Ridsdill-Smith
Huge increase in students using University Counselling Service
Between 2011 and 2016, the number of students contacting the counselling service per academic year has jumped by 84 per cent
