Student who took her own life is remembered through campaign
THE mother of a girl who was driven to suicide because of an abusive relationship said her daughter would be “proud” of her campaign to tackle gender-based violence at university.
Emily Drouet, 18, took her own life last year. She was living in Aberdeen University’s halls of residence and had suffered mental and physical abuse from Angus Milligan.
Since then, Emily’s mother Fiona has been fighting to combat violence at Scottish universities through the #emilytest campaign.
It has led to the launch of a guide to help tackle gender-based violence on campus, with £396,000 from the Scottish Government to provide advice and training for staff.
Law student Emily had tried to get help from university staff throughout her horrific ordeal.
Fiona hopes the guide – produced by Strathclyde University – will “empower” students and staff and “eradicate” a victimblaming culture.
Fiona, from Glasgow, said: “Emily will never get the justice she deserves.
“We’re giving her a voice and that’s what her abuser tried to BY SOPHIE LAW take away from her. I think she would be very proud of what we’ve achieved.
“Emily would want to help other people. She couldn’t recognise it as happening to herself. She didn’t relate to it but if she had seen someone else going through what she had, she would have been the first to help.
“This toolkit is about empowering women and empowering staff. We want to eradicate the victim-blaming culture.”
Further and Higher Education Minister ShirleyAnn Somerville said: “One in four young women will experience some form of sexual harassment within their first week of university.
“That figure is absolutely unacceptable and cannot be allowed to continue in our society. It can’t become normalised and accepted as just something that happens when you arrive on campus.”
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court last year, Milligan, 21, pled guilty to assaulting Emily, threatening her using offensive language, and sending indecent, obscene and menacing texts. He was given 180 hours of community service.
MUM FIONA DROUET ON THE HOLYROOD-FUNDED CAMPAIGN INSPIRED BY HER DAUGHTER’S ORDEAL