Fighting violence towards women

From ordinary sexism to sexual violence, harassment or other attacks on the personality, violence against women is unfortunately not absent from our community. Very attentive to these issues, our management recently announced that it was going to strengthen the system for listening, preventing and managing situations of sexism and sexual harassment at UNIL.

With this initiative, we want to systematically fight against attacks on the personality and violence against women, and thus make the work and study environment at UNIL safer in the strongest and clearest way.

To contribute to the prevention of such violence, several training, awareness and information offers are already available at UNIL:

• The website unil.ch/help, which explains the concepts of sexism and sexual harassment and presents the means of action and resources available.
• The online training course "Sexism and sexual harassment: saying no, saying stop, that's my job!" for people with a management or supervisory role at UNIL.
• The online training course "Understanding conflicts and attacks on personality at work", which aims to promote appropriate and responsible behavior through an understanding of what is in particular sexual harassment and psychological harassment.
• Equal Opportunities Office workshops: the service regularly organizes, upon request, training on inclusive communication, racial discrimination, discrimination against LGBTIQ+ people, sexism, etc.

In addition, the Equal Opportunities Office is available to inform and advise any person concerned by a situation of violence, sexual harassment or feeling discriminated against by a sexist behavior, by guiding them towards the competent authorities.

Finally, it seems useful to remind you of the prevention and support services offered in the canton of Vaud, to respond to the various forms that violence against women can take:

• In case of danger and for an emergency situation: call police rescue at 117. For help at the UNIL (115 from a landline or 021 692 20 00)
• For legal and psychological support, contact the LAVI centers  
• Help for victims of sexual assault or sexual violence
• Help for victims of domestic violence

With this message we want to affirm and reaffirm that all violence against women, physical or psychological, starting with attitudes of ordinary sexism have no place within the UNIL community. Our Rectorate is firmly committed to ensuring that UNIL provides - in the words of its charter - a quality study and work environment for all, which promotes the personal development of all its members in their contribution to the achievement of its mission.