Sex­ual dis­crim­i­na­tion, ha­rass­ment and as­sault

Sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and assault have no place at our university – neither in the traditional classroom or lab setting nor on remote or online learning platforms.

The Gender Equality Office is actively working to combat (sexual) discrimination, harassment and assault. The gender equality officer provides support and counselling services to anyone affected.

'Sexual discrimination and assault are as common in German universities – places of work and study – as they are in public and domestic spaces. A survey conducted by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) showed that every second person surveyed has experienced harassment in the workplace and every sixth woman and every fourteenth man explicitly designated their experience as "sexual harassment".'1

Sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and sexual assault can take many forms, including verbal, nonverbal and/or physical aggression. According to Section 3(4) of Germany's General Anti-Discrimination Act (AGG), sexual harassment is understood to mean any unwanted behaviour or conduct that is offensive, humiliating and that is experienced as derogatory and demeaning.

The Federal Association of Women's Representatives and Gender Equality Officers in Higher Education (bukof) plays a central role in policy discussions concerning gender equity issues in the academic and higher education landscape. 

On 18 April 2023, bukof published recommendations for dealing with sexual discrimination, harassment and assault at higher education institutions specializing in music or the arts.

1 Source: bukof

 

What to do if you experience sexual discrimination, sexual harassment or sexual assault.

University support services

Mental Health Counselling Service (PPB)
run by Studierendenwerk Saarland (Saarland Student Services)
Saarbrücken Campus, Building B6 2
Phone: +49 681 302-2515
ppb(at)stw-saarland.de

Gender Equality Officer
Gender Equality Office
Saarbrücken Campus, Building C3 1 (Annex)
Phone: +49 681 302-4795
gleichstellung(at)uni-saarland.de

General Student Committee AStA
Saarland University
Saarbrücken Campus, Building A5 2
Phone: +49 681 302-2900 | Office
gleichstellung(at)asta.uni-saarland.de or
international(at)asta.uni-saarland.de

External advice centres

Crisis Hotline 'Frauennotruf Saarland' (Support and counselling hotline for women affected by rape, sexual abuse, domestic violence and other forms of harassment)
Nauwieserstraße 19
66111 Saarbrücken
Phone: +49 681 36767
info(at)frauennotruf-saarland.de
www.frauennotruf-saarland.de

Confidential help for victims of sexual violence
Confidential forensic medical examinations
Phone: +49 681 844944
www.Spuren-sichern.de

Weißer Ring – Saarland Regional Office (Weißer Ring is a German voluntary organization providing nationwide support to victims of crime)
Halbergstraße 44
66121 Saarbrücken
Phone: +49 681 67319 
www.saarland.weisser-ring.de

Telephone helpline 'Gewalt gegen Frauen' (national support and counselling hotline for women affected by violence)
Phone: 116 016 (service available in multiple languages)
info(at)hilfetelefon.de
www.hilfetelefon.de

Police crime prevention and victim support service (Polizeiliche Kriminalprävention und Opferschutz)
Phone: +49 681 962-0

Additional sources
Further information on victim support or on reporting a crime is available from the following websites:
www.polizei-beratung.de
www.opferschutz.saarland.de