Along with boiled corn, damaged condoms circulated the campus on Monday afternoon during welcome week.
The event took place in the Student Union building for UNB and STU students. Without knowing, the Sexual Assault Centre’s booth was giving out condoms punctured by staples.
The UNB Sexuality Centre later recalled condoms they handed out during the event and from their office due to expiry date concerns.
STU Communications officer Jeffrey Carleton found out about the incident late afternoon yesterday. Soon after, he began sending out notifications.
“I was told that less than a hundred were distributed,” said Carleton.
The Crisis Centre has taken responsibility for the mistake. An email was sent out by the centre to both universities warning students to trash the faulty condoms.
“The condoms had been packaged in a matchbook type paper holder as part of the campaign Consent is Sexy,” said Lorraine Whalley, executive director of the centre.
“The edges of the condom wrapper were stapled to the paper holder.”
Nobody has complained yet, but some students are still unaware of the mistake.
Emma Lackey, a third year STU student, watched the condoms being distributed from the booth just next to her, but had no idea until Friday.
“I just learned twenty minutes ago,” said the cheerleader for the Varsity Reds.
Lackey was concerned for any first year student who attended the event.
Fortunately, the danger was noticed almost immediately and the despoiled condoms were collected and thrown away.
“In the future, condoms won’t be stapled to the packaging,” said Whalley.
