Mother of Emily Drouet launches anti-abuse campaign at universities

A campaign against domestic abuse and gender-based violence has been launched in universities across the UK by Fiona Drouet, following her daughter’s suicide in Aberdeen.

Content Warning: Suicide

The campaign is being run in association with National Union of Students (NUS) Scotland and Scottish Government-funded Equally Safe in Higher Education this weekend in hope to improve gender-based violence and harassment facilities and awareness at universities.

In March 2016, Emily Drouet committed suicide in her halls of residence at Aberdeen University, after getting into a physically and emotionally abusive relationship with fellow student Angus Milligan, just seven months after she started her course.

Milligan pleaded guilty to assault and threatening behaviour this year and was sentenced to 180 hours’ unpaid work in July; however, Fiona finds this sentence underwhelming and is hoping to make a widespread and impactful change across UK campuses.

Emily’s face will become the front of the campaign this weekend. According to Fiona, the movement calls for a number of changes, such as the implementation of mandatory and better training for staff and students on the issues, and domestic violence helpline numbers to be displayed in all student accommodation.

Fiona has also raised the idea of a support card detailing to staff and students a clear procedure if they suspect someone to be a victim of domestic violence, or are suffering themselves.

Confidentiality is not sacrosanct – if somebody is in danger, you are allowed to break it or investigate it

The campaign will also include texts sent from Emily’s phone to her friends during her ordeal. The texts include descriptions of her emotionally and physically violent relationship with Milligan, such as: “It’s my fault”, “I made him so angry” and “I deserve it.”

Fiona expressed her distress on reading the texts to the Guardian, commenting: “It was really sad for us to read through the texts on her phone after we lost her, but it’s important to show that this is all part of the manipulation that happens. Emily was a strong young woman, and yet she was made to feel this way.”

The campaign follows an NUS report which found one in four females had reported instances of unwanted sexual behaviour during their studies.

Fiona told The Sunday Herald that she believes that, far from improving, the situation is getting worse. “I think it’s worse because there is this whole culture of violent porn online, and some television programmes promote women as sexual objects. Also 50 Shades of Grey; it’s all promoting loveless relationships. No respect. It’s all gone quite dark.”

In response to the question as to whether the University of Aberdeen fulfilled their duty in Emily’s case, Fiona said: “What should have happened is they should have said: ‘Emily, we’ve seen your face, we know you’ve been assaulted – we can’t un-see that.’ Confidentiality is not sacrosanct – if somebody is in danger, you are allowed to break it or investigate it.”

If there had been a number she could have phoned when she needed help, maybe it could have saved her life

“If there had been a number she could have phoned when she needed help, maybe it could have saved her life. At a time when she didn’t want to leave her room, and she felt there was nowhere else to turn, she would have had details of someone to talk to staring her straight in the face.”

However, a spokesperson for the University of Aberdeen said that student safety and wellbeing is their top priority: “The University offers a comprehensive range of support services that aims to encourage students to report any problems they have during their time here, and we urge anyone experiencing difficulties to contact our trained advisers who are happy to discuss these concerns confidentially.”

The Guardian commented last week that: “Aberdeen University has since said it has to balance students’ rights as adults with its responsibility to offer support, and that the action taken was appropriate based on the information received.”

On the Warwick Students’ Union (SU) sexual violence advice page there are several links to services that can help those suffering from such abuse and to encourage bystander intervention, which can be found here.

Warwick SU held a focus group last month to gage how well these services were being received by students, whilst students were also made aware of the local CRASAC (Coventry Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre) service.