The founder of controversial dating website ShagAtUni.com has faced new backlash for handing out free vibrators to female students.
Tom Thurlow attended the University of Gloucestershire’s freshers fair to promote his new sex toy company Ricky. He had originally agreed to distribute condoms as part of the Students Union’s efforts to raise awareness around safe sex.
In a blog post published after the event, Thurlow said that students were asked if they wanted to enter a pop-up “pleasure pod”. Everyone who agreed was gifted with their own vibrator bullet.
Thurlow wrote: “Our aim was to initiate a healthy discussion around female masturbation and illustrate how natural and perfectly normal it is regarding female sexuality.
“During the course of the afternoon a steady stream of students confidently volunteered to enter the booth in the name of eradicating the stigma or shame around sexual wellbeing.
“We gifted each willing participant with one of our brand-new bullet vibrators. What each student did or did not do inside the booth with their new toy is not only unknown but also irrelevant. There was no expectation of how or if each student would use the product.”
After a number of students and parents complained about the stand, the University of Gloucestershire stated that there was no reason to believe any “inappropriate activity” had taken place.
It claimed security staff were present throughout the day and no issues were reported, but categorically ruled out the possibility of working with Ricky in the future.
Ahead of the 2018/19 educational year, ShagAtUni.com advertised for a “Social and Sexual Activities Investigator”. The new hire would be paid a £40,000 salary to travel around the UK to find the best campus for partying and the most sexually active university.
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