Strengthen the capacity of universities to detect and respond to online and offline sexual harassment in the workplace and other relevant contexts (classrooms and digital spaces), with a special focus on minorities.
Context
As much as a lot of effort has been invested in ending gender-based violence at the EU level, sexual harassment continuous to be a pervasive phenomenon, especially in those institutions, such as Academic ones, in which a patriarchal and male dominated system still prevails. Physical and verbal harassment, coercion, social pressure and intimidation are still anchored expressions of sexism that reinforce gender-based inequalities in the distribution of social power. The Uni4Equity project proposes a multi-agency cooperation between universities and other relevant social actors to identify, map and respond to online and offline sexual harassment in the academic context and thus promote gender equality within university contexts among students, faculty and administrative staff.
Objectives
- Strengthen the knowledge of those responsible for gender issues within university environments by improving processes and structures to prevent and support cases of sexual harassment.
- To promote the exchange of good practices for detecting and combating sexual harassment within university environments.
- To raise awareness of the importance of preventing and combating all forms of sexual harassment and of the priority role of university settings.
- To improve the skills of university staff and the tools available to combat sexual harassment in university settings.
- Minimise the impact that sexual harassment can have on victims and/or survivors.
Activities
- Research on the current situation against sexual harassment within university environments including strategies in place at the institutional level.
- Online awareness-raising campaign to promote a zero-tolerance culture against sexual harassment.
- Participatory workshop to promote an intersectional gender approach at the relational and educational level within universities.
- Online workshop to raise awareness of sexual harassment and gender roles within universities.
- Workshops aimed at potential witnesses of harassment to encourage them to take an active role.
- Review and improvement of university protocols and procedures aimed at combating sexual harassment including against minorities.
- Production of an online tool for support and advice to potential victims within the universities involved.
- Two online trainings on consent, self-defence and soft skills, one aimed at potential victims, the other at offenders.
Resources
- Online awareness campaign report;
- Online tool for support and advice to potential victim;
- Uni4Equity information video
- Document: ‘Universities against sexual harassment’;
- Policy recommendations.
Impact
- Increased exchange of good practice in detecting and combating sexual harassment within university environments.
- Increased knowledge of those responsible for gender issues and all l3 attor3 within university environments through improved processes and structures to prevent and support cases of sexual harassment.
- Increased awareness of the importance of combating all forms of sexual harassment and recognition of universities as a major resource in contributing to their prevention.
Partners
- UNIVERSIDAD DE ALICANTE (Spain, coordinator);
- CESIE ETS (Italy);
- MAIEUTICA COOPERATIVA DE ENSINO SUPERIOR CRL (Portugal);
- APLICA INVESTIGACION Y TRASLACION S. COOP. MAD. (Spain);
- UNIWERSYTET IM. ADAMA MICKIEWICZA W POZNANIU (Poland);
- FACHHOCHSCHULE BURGENLAND GMBH (Austria);
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI VERONA (Italy);
- UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN (Belgium).
