For many, a surprise visit by ‘Aunt Flo’ is often an inconvenience, but for some university students, getting their period can force them to stop going to class.
Although many think period poverty isn’t experienced in Australia, factors like rising financial pressures and geographic location can sometimes result in the cost of menstrual products being viewed as an unaffordable luxury.
To help tackle a lack of access to menstrual products, Western Sydney University (WSU) is supporting students with free period products across all the university’s campuses.
Parramatta nursing student Crystal Ram said having products like tampons and pads available on every campus will be a “weight of their shoulders”.
“This sort of initiative would definitely assist students, making sure that those products are there, stocked up and ready to go when they have emergencies,” she said.
“Being a future clinician myself, having accessibility to these items is just wonderful.”
The 25-year-old believes having access to free period products on campus will also encourage more people to not be embarrassed when talking about that time of the month.
“As somebody who is Hindu and of Indian background I think it’s really important [to talk about periods],” she said.
“My Mum prepared me when I was a teenager, but a lot of the students [are not], especially if they’re international and because there are language barriers, so this allows students to become comfortable in their own skin and have that conversation.
“To see this university be ahead of the others and doing what’s right, makes you really proud to see.”
The rollout of free period products across the university’s campuses follows research by project leaders Dr Sarah Duffy and Dr Michelle O’Shea from the School of Business, along with other multi-disciplinary researchers from across the University.
“If a menstruating person is surprised by the arrival of their period they might decide to go home, missing out on classes or other educational or on-campus opportunities,” Duffy said.
“By rolling out this initiative we are helping to relieve the burden for students in a practical, tangible way.”
Period products will be available from the start of autumn semester in two high-traffic bathrooms on each campus.
Ellie Busby is a news reporter for Western Sydney Publishing Group. A graduate of the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University, she is a journalism Major. Ellie has worked with Universal Media, The Cova Project and for a range of other organisations. In 2024, Ellie was named Young Writer of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.