LONDON — A British university student has sparked controversy after writing a post attacking sexual consent classes on student news website, The Tab.

George Lawlor, who is studying politics and sociology at Warwick University, wrote that he was invited to a class via Facebook, and found it "a massive, painful, bitchy slap in the face" and "the biggest insult [he's] received in a good few years."

See also: British football club is teaching its players about sexual consent

Lawlor wrote in the article, entitled 'Why I don't need consent lessons,' that he found it "hurtful" to be sent the invite, arguing that it implies he has "an insufficient understanding of what does and does not constitute consent."

The student, who also writes for political blogging site Omnipolitics and is a member of Warwick's Conservative Association, posted a photo of himself holding a sign saying 'this is not what a rapist looks like' to illustrate the piece.

"I don’t have to be taught to not be a rapist," he wrote. "That much comes naturally to me, as I am sure it does to the overwhelming majority of people you and I know."

"Brand me a bigot, a misogynist, a rape apologist, I don’t care. I stand by that."

Let me explain, I love consent. Of course people should only interact with mutual agreement, but I still found this invitation loathsome. Like any self-respecting individual would, I found this to be a massive, painful, bitchy slap in the face. To be invited to such a waste of time was the biggest insult I’ve received in a good few years. It implies I have an insufficient understanding of what does and does not constitute consent and that’s incredibly hurtful. I can’t stress that enough. I feel as if I’m taking the “wrong” side here, but someone has to say it – I don’t have to be taught to not be a rapist. That much comes naturally to me, as I am sure it does to the overwhelming majority of people you and I know. Brand me a bigot, a misogynist, a rape apologist, I don’t care. I stand by that. I already know what is and what isn’t consent. I also know about those more nuanced situations where consent isn’t immediately obvious as any decent, empathetic human being does. Yes means yes, no means no. It’s really that simple. You’d think Russell Group university students would get that much, but apparently the consent teachers don’t have as high a regard for their peers as I do.

Lawlor argues that people who might be inclined to rape someone wouldn't go to the classes, and those that do attend would form "an echo chamber of people pointing out the obvious and others nodding along, thinking the whole time thinking that they’ve saved the world."

I’m not denying there have been tragic cases of rape and abuse on campuses in the past, but do you really think the kind of people who lacks empathy, respect and human decency to the point where they’d violate someone’s body is really going to turn up to a consent lesson on a university campus? They won’t. The only people who’ll turn up will be people who (surprise, surprise) already know when it’s okay to shag someone. No new information will be taught or learned. It will just be an echo chamber of people pointing out the obvious and others nodding along, thinking the whole time thinking that they’ve saved the world. I want to call the people leading the charge behind these classes admirable, I want to call them heroic, but I’m afraid they’re not. There are countless other more useful things they could be doing with their time. They could be making a difference by actually going out and campaigning, volunteering and caring for other people. Instead they selfishly make themselves feel better by indulging in the delusion that all that’s needed to save the vulnerable from foul predators is to point out the blindingly obvious. Self-appointed teachers of consent: get off your fucking high horse. I don’t need your help to understand basic human interaction. Secondly, go and do something. Real people need your help and they deserve better than you. Next time you consider inviting me or anyone else to another bullshit event like this, have a little respect for the intelligence and decency of your peers. You might find that’s a more effective solution than accusing them of being vile rapists-in-waiting who can only be taught otherwise by a smug, righteous, self-congratulatory intervention.

His comments were mostly met with dismay online.

Rapists come in all shapes and sizes, it's what he says that makes him fucking terrifying @TheTab should be ashamed. pic.twitter.com/kvsRzbgY8j — Sirena Bergman (@sirenabergman) October 15, 2015

George Lawlor will look back at his @TheTabWarwick article one day and feel embarrassed - your article is horrendous and ignorant — Charlotte Wilk (@charlottewilk) October 14, 2015

i don't even know where to start on this george lawlor kid — lara (@creepygrrl) October 15, 2015

Ione Wells, a victim of assault who wrote a letter to her attacker earlier this year, was among those who took umbrage with Lawlor's words.

Speechless at how someone can undermine such important education that fills a crucial hole in our curriculum, awful: http://t.co/LUAkasB9dL — Ione Wells (@ionewells) October 14, 2015

Susuana Amoah, the National Union of Students (NUS) Women's Officer, meanwhile, also condemned the piece. Mashable reached out to Amoah for further comment.

That Warwick uni boy that doesn't want 2go2 a consent class because he "doesn't look like a rapist" needs 2 tell me what a rapist looks like — Susuana☆ (@Susuana_Xx) October 15, 2015

Others sided with Lawlor. One commenter under the article said he was "brave" for writing the piece, while some on Twitter said they stood with him.

I'm standing with #GeorgeLawlor. It's appalling that any man is castigated as a potential potential rapist by virtue of his sex alone — Claire Meadows (@clairewroteit) October 15, 2015

totally with George Lawlor on his article. to assume all men (thats who consent classes are aimed at) need training to not rape is absurd — abby (@noided69) October 15, 2015

Lawlor told Mashable the reaction to his article has been mixed.

"On the one hand there has been a lot of mud-slinging and name-calling, especially by some of the press and journalists that I have spoken to. That much is expected," he said in an email.

"Then there has been some constructive discussion and thought, which is brilliant. All I ever really wanted was for people to think about the issue. I raised a point that so many people think but are often afraid to say."

Lawlor, who said his stance hasn't changed one bit since the furore, added that he had received messaged of support from people.

He said he's "speaking up for a quiet section of the population - people who haven't necessarily been invited to a consent class, but people who feel patronised and treated like monsters by an ideology they don't agree with." He added that consent classes are "targeting the wrong people and those people need defending."

However, he admitted that his choice of picture was "a bit of faux pas." It was meant to be a play on the 'this is what a feminist looks like' campaign, he said.

"Of course a rapist could be white and young and normal-looking, I'm not arguing otherwise. My point was that I, as an individual, not as a demographic, do not look like a rapist because I am not a rapist."

Another student at the same university has since published a riposte to Lawlor's piece.

Josie Throup, campus Women's Officer at Warwick and one of the organisers of the consent classes, published a piece on The Tab insisting that the workshops were a necessity. Citing statistics that 80% of victims are known to their attacker, she called the issue of sexual violence on campuses an "epidemic."

Josie Throup published a riposte on The Tab.

"We’re starting a conversation, raising awareness of an issue too often misunderstood," she wrote.

"Part of that is targeting potential perpetrators, but another part is empowering survivors and giving general students the chance to learn how their actions form part of a culture and how they can make those actions more supportive to survivors of sexual assault at Warwick and beyond."

Mashable has reached out to Throup for comment.

Lawlor told Mashable Throup's article was "okay," adding, "I'm glad she responded. It really is about having a conversation above all else."