'We've built up a tolerance to sexism," says medical student Niamh Reilly, 20, as she eats lunch at Glasgow University Students' Union.

She and her friend, Ailie Ross, also a medical student, are discussing the controversy surrounding misogynistic comedian Dapper Laughs.

Reilly watches a clip where he tells an audience member during a live show that she is "gagging for a rape". She is far from impressed.

"There was silence from the audience at first before people started laughing," she said. "It was as if they were waiting to see if other people found it acceptable - people don't want to stand out or speak out, they want to just do what everyone else does. Had they seriously thought about it happening to their wife, sister or daughter, they might not have found it so funny."

Dapper Laughs - real name Daniel O'Reilly - has since claimed he was playing a character and his "comedy" was not meant to be taken seriously, but Reilly says she has "real problems" with people who make light of sexual intimidation.

"I think that kind of laddish culture - that it's all a bit of a joke, it's all just a bit of fun - is wrong. It's not funny, it's serious and quite scary for women."

The students go on to talk about convicted rapist and former professional footballer Ched Evans, who this week returned to training at his former club, Sheffield United. The club is considering resigning him.

"I'm all for people serving their time and reintegrating into society," says Reilly. "But he has shown no remorse for what he's done.

"There's also the issue of him being a role model to children. If he gets another contract, it could send out the message that if you commit a serious crime and you're not sorry for what you did, it's OK."

Asked about her own experiences, she says: "I think you'd be hard-pressed to find a female who hasn't faced sexism at some point in their life. I certainly have.

"And then you're faced with the problem of, 'do I tackle it?', because it's right to tackle it, or do I just let it go? … I know there have been times in the past when I have let it go."

Her friend Ailie, 20, says: "When I'm on my own going home on the train and there's maybe a big group of guys, I do feel intimidated sometimes and of course there have been times when things have happened, but nothing really serious."

Reilly replies: "I think it's telling that you say, 'Nothing really serious'. We've built up a tolerance to sexism, we accept it on a certain level and I think that's a big part of the problem."

Self-styled "pick-up artist" Julien Blanc is also in the news this week. He boasts that those who adopt his techniques will acquire "panty-dropping masculinity" and learn to destroy the female "bitch-shield".

"He sounds like an absolute d**khead," says zoology student Emily Lane, 21. "He's obviously picking on women who are vulnerable, because if you're in a good place then you would never accept that sort of behaviour."

Heather Griffith, 22, agrees. She claims Blanc's "teachings" amount to harassment, but says women are often forced to smile or be polite when faced with such behaviour out of fear that they may be verbally or physically abused.

"I think women feel like they have to take it, and because it's such a common thing, it's in our society so deeply, women feel like they can't do anything about it."

Griffith also says some people appear to be "victim blaming" in Ched Evans's case: "People are saying, 'Oh it's ruined his career', but he ruined his career himself.

"Then there's the perception by some people that the victim probably wanted it at the time because he was a footballer, and then cried rape the next day. People think, 'Well if there was no "No" said', but the issue is that there was no 'Yes' either."

Speaking of her own experience, she adds: "Street harassment happens quite often, and there's also an issue where guys think it's acceptable to touch you or grope you because they're in a nightclub.

"Part of the problem is that people accept it as the norm and it's not a norm and shouldn't be a norm."