Sexual Harassment Awareness Day
Every year, Swiss universities draw attention to sexual harassment in the university context as part of Sexual Harassment Awareness Day. ETH Zurich took part in this important day of action in 2023 and 2024. Many resources and event ideas can be found in past events.
As part of the project "P-7: Diversity, Inclusion and Equity in University Development", swissuniversities launched the external page national campaign for Sexual Harassment Awareness Day. The goal of this campaign (SH2024 for short) is to preventively counteract sexual harassment and sexism. It is part of the efforts of Swiss universities to create and cultivate a culture in which there is no place for sexual harassment.
The department of Diversity and Cooperation acts as the coordinating point at ETH Zurich. Please contact with any questions about SH2024 or your participation.
Sexual harassment is a reality within Swiss universities and research institutions. That is why ETH Zurich is joining forces with other institutions to call attention to this topic on 25 April 2024. It is a day of knowledge and information transfer, exchange, activities, and clear statements of taking action against boundary crossing behavior together.
Everyone's participation is welcome and called for. There are many ways in which departments, students, staff, and associations can make a valuable contribution to promoting awareness of sexual harassment, e.g. by organizing workshops, talks, film screenings, or other ideas of their own.
If you have questions about SH2024, your contribution, or think about organizing something for next year's Sexual Harassment Awareness Day, contact us at .
Below you find expert videos and descriptions of past events as inspiration for your event at SH2024.
Further ideas are compiled on this external page digital pinboard. We invite all ETH members and especially units such as departments, diversity officers, and women's associations of the departments to use and promote the expertise and resources of our university and to help shape this day.
The respective organizational unit is responsible to request experts and cover the costs of the event. Please note that none of the persons or formats mentioned have been pre-informed by us, these are merely suggestions as to which experts could be relevant to discuss the topic with you.
Sexual harassment is not tolerated at our university and will entail consequences. If you are a witness or victim of sexual harassment, please reach out to the contact and advice services at ETH Zurich. Their services are available for all ETH members; they are confidential, and free of charge.
Since April 2023, anonymous reports can be made via the online form. Vice-President Julia Dannath explains what chances and limitations anonymous reports of harassment and discrimination can entail.
What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is defined as any behavior with sexual connotations that is unwelcome from one side and that violates a person's dignity. The harassment can occur during work, study, events, and other contexts. It can stem from employees, students, members of other research institutions, or from external parties and can affect all persons. Sexual harassment can be carried out with words, gestures, or physical actions and can originate from individuals as well as groups.
Further useful information on the topic of sexual harassment can be found online.
E-Learning
The e-learning module "Dealing with sexual harassment in everyday study and work" for all ETH members provides knowledge about forms of sexual harassment and offers tools for responding to it, either as an affected individual or as witness.
Anonymous experience reports about harassment and discrimination
external page #speakupETH - a project of VSETH and AVETH
external page A collection of doctoral student stories by 500 Women Scientists
Literature mentioned in Online Talk
- external page Online Zugang zum Buch "Grauzonen gibt es nicht. Muster sexueller Belästigung mit dem Red Flag System erkennen" von Sara Hassan und Juliette Sanchez-Lambert
- external page Online access to the Book "It's not that Grey. A practical guide for the twilight zone of sexual harassment" by Sara Hassan and Juliette Sanchez-Lambert
Past Events 2024
This year on April 25, there will not only be an exciting online talk on Sexual Harassment Awareness Day 2024 (SH2024 for short), but also a public viewing with lunch and a subsequent Coffee Hour with the contact and advice services of ETH Zurich. Further events at ETH Zurich as part of SH2024 are also listed here.
Zoom-Link: external page https://ethz.zoom.us/j/67045816205
Event description
What is still consider flirting and what takes it too far?? How is sexual harassment (intersectionally) related to abuse of power and discrimination (racism, sexism, queerphobia, ableism, etc.)? And last but not least: How can we take a stand against sexual harassment at universities? These questions have been asked particularly often at universities since the start of the #metoo movement.
Together with the experts Anja Nunyola Glover and Mirjam Gasser, Sara Hassan provides answers to these questions with the help of the specifically developed Red Flag System and a case study from university life.
A joint event organised by Zurich universities: ETH Zurich, PH Zurich, UZH, ZHAW and ZHdK.
Participation
Zoom link to the event: external page https://ethz.zoom.us/j/67045816205 (Meeting ID: 670 4581 6205).
This online talk will be held in German.
In addition to the online participation, there is the possibility to participate in one of the public viewings of the various universities.
About the experts
external page Sara Hassan is co-author of the book 'It’s not that grey' (2019). Sara Hassan has been working as an author, moderator, and keynote speaker on the topics of abuse of power and harassment since 2015, having previously worked internationally in the field of political communication for many years.
external page Anja Nunyola Glover is a sociologist, columnist, author, moderator, social entrepreneur and much more. With the aim of creating new narratives, the racism expert supports companies, schools, organisations and individuals on their path towards anti-racism.
external page Mirjam Gasser is head of the Office for Gender Equality of the city of Zürich. She previously worked internationally in the field of rights and inclusion of people with disabilities. Her expertise lies in the areas of human rights, equality and combating multiple discrimination.
Event description
Public viewings of the Online Talk "Decoding the Various Patterns of Sexual Harassment" will take place at the various universities in Zurich. At ETH Zurich, the public viewing will take place in the Student Centre (StuZ) in CAB, room F21.
The buffet will be open 12:00-12:10. The broadcast will start at 12:15. The public viewing is a collaboration between ETH Diversity and VSETH.
Participation
No registration necessary. The room (StuZ CAB F21) is wheelchair accessible (lift via ASVZ entrance of the CAB). The streamed online talk will be held in German.
Public viewings at other Zurich universities
external page More information about public viewing at ZHdK
external page More information about public viewing at PH Zürich
Event description
Following the online talk and public viewing, there will be an opportunity to meet the staff of the contact and advice services and counsellors at ETH Zurich who work on sexual harassment over a relaxed coffee. The Coffee Hour is a collaboration between ETH Diversity and VSETH.
Participation
No registration necessary. The room (StuZ CAB F21) is wheelchair accessible (lift via ASVZ entrance of the CAB). The Coffee Hour will be held bilingually in German and English.
Event description
Lawyer and labour law specialist Nicolas Facincani answers the most frequently asked questions about sexual harassment in the workplace, including legal definitions and options for action, in an interview.
Key topics:
- Legal definitions of sexual harassment in the workplace
- Options for action by the persons involved
- Options for action by ETH
Host: Dr. Monika Keller, employee Advice and Conciliation Service Respect. This expert talk is part of ETH Zurich's Respect programme.
Participation
Registration is required. The talk will be held in German with simultaneous translation into English. More information and registration
- Similar to last year, Phi:male, CSNOW and the AG Chancengleichheit (VSETH) will be providing display walls concerning Sexual Harassment on April 25 in the HG. You can read comments of the ETH community on sexual harassment at ETH and write anonymously yourself. You can use stickers to anonymously answer various questions about sexual harassment at ETH.
- external page CLASH Zurich is organizing a party and workshops on Friday, April 26 on the occasion of and following SH2024.
- Various student associations will raise awareness for sexual harassment via social media and other outlets.
The programme of other Swiss universities and academic institutions is compiled on the external page website of the national Sexual Harassment Awareness Day campaign.
Past Events 2023
Phi:male, external page #speakUpETH and the AG Chancengleichheit (VSETH) will be providing display walls around Sexual Harassment from 8:00 to 20:00 in the HG Brunnenhalle (between the fountain and the main hall). There is the possibility to read testimonials about Sexual Harassment at ETH and to write anonymously yourself. With stickers you can also anonymously answer different questions about Sexual Harassment at ETH.
The project team of the national campaign, together with representatives of the universities, will present the campaign and answer journalists' questions.
The media conference is for media representatives only. After registration with the national campaign (), the link will be sent before the event.
Sexual harassment is a complex social problem. Sexual harassment is still often perceived simply as a “victim’s” issue but not only impacted people pay a high price for this toxic behavior. In this talk, Dr. Bettina Palazzo, expert in business ethics, showed how the true costs of sexual harassment affect everyone and institutions. Sexual harassment brings knowledge loss, legal costs, decline of employee motivation and bad employer image. But, the prevention of sexual harassment is also seen as an opportunity for positive change and a respectful workplace for all.
Dr. Léïla Eisner and Dr. Tabea Hässler from the Swiss LGBTIQ+ Panel extended the discussion on sexual harassment to those who are often forgotten: LGBTIQ+ persons, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, and men are also affected by sexual harassment but often go unmentioned. They also presented data from the Swiss LGBTIQ+ Panel on experiences with sexual harassment.
The talk was moderated by ETH Diversity. It was a joint event of the ETH Domain and the national Sexual Harassment Awareness Day Project Group.
This event was held online in English. external page Video and Slides
Talk with Stella Harper, co-founder and co-director of SpeakUpETH, and Lilian Fankhauser, co-director of the Office for Equal Opportunities and contact person for sexual harassment at the University of Bern.
This talk will be conducted online in German. external page Participation Link
Talk with Marijn van der Meer, founder of the campaign Paye ton EPFL, and Aurélie Nusbaum-de Francesco, Avocate de la gestion des conflits du travail, personne de confiance et médiatrice.
This talk will be conducted online in French. external page Participation Link
The workshop will focus on verbal and nonverbal everyday interactions. Situations will be discussed where minorities in academia, such as women, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color, people with disabilities, etc, may be unconsciously marginalized. The goal of this workshop is to learn more about how to be welcoming and inclusive in your language and behavior when working with people from a variety of backgrounds, and how to better manage own experiences of exclusion and associated feelings. This event is a collaboration between WSL's D&I and ETH Diversity.
The workshop will take place at WSL in Birmensdorf (room details to follow). The number of participants is limited. ETH members please register by email to . Language (DE/EN) tbd
Cases of sexual harassment are exceptional situations for victims, perpetrators and their environment. This places a special responsibility on institutions to deal with such crises with the utmost care and while respecting the rights of all parties involved. The panel will show what needs to be taken into account.
This online panel takes place in German and French simultaneously. external page Participation Link
MeWell organizes a self-defence workshop led by professional Krav Maga instructors. The workshop is open to all students and university employees of all genders. Places are limited and registration is required. external page More information.
The workshop will be held at ETH Zurich LFV E 41 and is conducted in English.
