Projects / Programmes
Institutional, legislative and awareness-raising solutions and activities in addressing sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in higher education and research organisantion in Slovenia
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.03.00 |
Social sciences |
Sociology |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.04 |
Social Sciences |
Sociology |
Sexual harassment, sexual violence, gender-based violence, academic field, research institutes, employees, student population, mechanisms, institutional culture, pedagogical process, guidelines, policy.
Researchers (12)
Organisations (4)
Abstract
In academia, norms and values are formed and reproduced that reflect the organization of the gender order, the structure of the distribution of social power and prestige, and the ways in which gender roles are socialized. Therefore, systematically addressing sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in academia is necessary and important. Above all, it seems important to work on changing the institutional culture that creates such an environment where people who have experienced violence dare to speak out and where perpetrators are treated and sanctioned appropriately. This year, however, the University of Ljubljana has already taken the first steps towards better institutional addressing of this problem, namely by revising the Policy on the protection of the dignity of employees and students at the University of Ljubljana, which we found to be deficient and in some cases inadequate. We also prepared a companion document to the policy entitled Guidelines for the protection of dignity at the University of Ljubljana: Prevention and Treatment of Sexual and other forms of Harassment, Mobbing and other forms of violence. Since we are aware that these are only the first steps and that such mechanisms need to be continuously improved and developed, the main objectives of the project will be to address sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in higher education and research institutions in Slovenia. The focus will be on finding additional institutional, legal and awareness-raising solutions and implementing activities in dealing with it. Based on the analysis of already existing institutional mechanisms in dealing with and solving the problem of sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence in academia in Slovenia, we will first try to find out what has already been done so far. In other words, we will analyze the solutions that have already been adopted by higher education and research institutions. Then we will examine where the main deficits in dealing with this problem lie. In addition, based on a review of the current situation and various good practices from abroad, we will develop proposals on how cases of sexual harassment and other forms of genfder base violence can be effectively and appropriately addressed, treated and resolved. Concrete institutional mechanisms and measures will be outlined and proposed to provide solutions to deal effectively with the problem of sexual harassment and other forms of genfder based violence. All activities and solutions will be discussed separately for the problem of faculty-staff and for the student population. We will also pay particular attention to the adequacy of legal solutions in this area. In the context of the work we have already done in this area at the University of Ljubljana, we have found that the legal solutions related to dealing with sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence are in many parts questionable and sometimes inadequate. Therefore, changes are needed that are in line with the latest scientific research recommendations and legal solutioins. The project will also focus on how to communicate effectively with the public to raise awareness of the issue of sexual harassment and other forms of gender based violence in Slovenian academia, both among employees and students. Raising public awareness is one of the most important steps to effectively combat all forms of violence. Therefore, various recommendations and activities will be prepared to raise awareness and educate the academic and general public about this issue. As part of the communication and dissemination strategy, the main findings of the proposed research project will be presented to the academic public as well as to a wider audience.
