Student Safety Calendar – part 2🩷
All students have the right to feel safe on campus. Both SU and SUS work with issues such as safe study and work environment on campus. Information about cases of sexual harassment is an important basis for crime prevention efforts, and in this way the risk of others also being affected in the future can be reduced.
What is sexual harassment?
According to the Discrimination Act §4 chapter 5, sexual harassment is "behavior of a sexual nature that violates someone's dignity". Sexual harassment can manifest itself verbally, physically, as well as online and in person. For example, through unwanted physical touches, words or allusions, as well as the creation and dissemination of pornographic images. Sexual harassment is one of six different forms of discrimination according to the Discrimination Act.
If the person subjected to unwanted behavior experiences the actions as offensive, the requirements for what is considered sexual harassment are met, but from a legal point of view, the harasser needs to understand that the behavior is unwanted by the other person in order to prove that sexual harassment has occurred.
A survey from 2022 shows that it is mainly young female students and female PhD students who experience sexual harassment at universities. However, few report it and many give the reason that "it wasn't that bad" for why they don't report it. Within the university there are many layers of power relations which can also affect the report rate. Sexual harassment is seen as more serious if it occurs in a relationship where the balance of power is unequal.
For PhD students
As a PhD student, the risks are bigger, because sexual harassment takes place within long-term relationships with unequal power relations. Remember that you always have the right to change supervisors and that you can report cases directly to the Head of department at your department or to SU centrally and that both have an investigative responsibility. As a PhD student, you can also seek support from the Occupational health care service.
If it is a person with investigative responsibility who is harassing or if the employer does not do enough to stop the harassment, you can report it to “Facket”, which can often also offer to have a representative join the process.
Where can you turn?
If you have been subjected to sexual harassment, you should contact the Head of department at your department or the University Administration, both of whom have a responsibility to investigate.
If the sexual harassment causes you to feel persecuted on campus, you can call the guards who can be reached around the clock on 08-164 42 00 and they can help you file a police report and keep in touch with the police.
Within SUS and our partner associations there are processes for handling reports of harassment. If you experience harassment and/or sexual harassment during events at our partner associations, contact the association's board. You can also turn to the association's inspector and auditors if you believe that someone has violated the association's statutes and policies.
SUS's Ombud can support students and PhD students during ongoing investigations of sexual harassment linked to the education by giving advice. The Ombud does not represent students and does not participate in meetings, but they can be helpful in producing for example emails.
Influence the direction of SUS – send in a motion
If you and your fellow students feel that an issue needs to be prioritized or conditions on campus must be changed, the democratic structure of SUS is an opportunity for you. For example, a group of 10 members of SUS has the right to submit a motion to the Representative Assembly where one can propose assignments to the union's elected representatives and employees. All associations, student, PhD student and faculty councils also have the same right.
Download template for how to submit a motion here (in Swedish).
Together we work to make SU a place where everyone feels safe!
/President Hermela Embaye and Vice President Victor Nygren