London: It was supposed to be a fun, if risqué, event attended by scantily-clad students with worthy charitable motives.But the Safer Sex Ball brought notoriety to the University of Exeter last night after footage of two revellers engaged in an intimate act was posted on the internet.
According to the Daily Mail report, in the explicit four-minute clip, a woman is seen standing with her male friend next to a pool table in a bar at the university.She is wearing a very short skirt while he is dressed in shorts, a cape and a headband.
The unidentified couple embrace in a sustained clinch before they shed their clothes and appear to lose all inhibitions.The footage then shows them dashing off in opposite directions after a fellow guest almost catches them in the act.
CCTV film of the incident was recorded on to a mobile phone and passed among students at Exeter, one of the country’s leading universities. The steamy footage has since been distributed on the internet.
Some 2,200 students attended the ball on December 12, which featured burlesque dancers and raised £140,000 for various charities.
Revellers were encouraged to wear skimpy and risqué outfits and given free contraception at the event, which is supposed to promote safe sex and is organised by the University Guild, Exeter’s student union.
Cheaper tickets were priced at £60. The £80 VIP tickets entitled holders to a place at one of eight tables with private booths, provided with canapés and copious amounts of cocktails and other drinks.
The annual event has been criticised in previous years for its highly sexual tone.At one ball, the theme was ‘Sex Around the World’ and featured rooms which depicted the Rio carnival, the Wild West, a Japanese geisha’s home and a chill-out area.
One student said at the time: ‘I think the message of safe sex is communicated but everyone is so drunk no one really takes any notice.’ The Guild has come under fire at Exeter for the latest incident.
Writing in the online edition of Exepose, the university’s independent student newspaper, Kitty Howie said: ‘Absolutely no consideration was given to the students in the video or the reputation of the university.
‘It’s unfortunate that the Guild are having to face the backlash for something related to the Safer Sex Ball.’
A 20-year-old student added: ‘The whole ball is disgusting anyway. They pretend it’s about safe sex and Aids to give them an excuse to wear nothing and get off with each other.’ The 2012 ball had already attracted censure, after some critics said its ‘tribal’ theme was dubbed racist.
Dozens of academics and university staff signed a petition protesting against the theme and calling for a public apology.
Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said of the ball: ‘It’s regrettable when a university has to go along this particular path in the name of promoting safer sex.’
He added: ‘I think many parents whose children are at this university will be appalled.’
The Guild said it was concerned that the couple’s right to privacy had been breached by whoever has posted the explicit clip online.
A Guild spokesman said: ‘Putting CCTV footage on the internet without permission could contravene the law.
‘That would namely be data protection laws and human rights legislation – the right to privacy.
‘Engaging in sexual activity in a public place could also constitute an offence, depending on the form of sexual activity. The Guild is making sure the affected parties will be supported during this difficult time.’
Yesterday the university declined to comment.
