Universities urged to do more to end sexual harassment

Dutch universities and higher vocational education or HBO colleges must do more to protect students and staff against sexual harassment, special commissioner Mariëtte Hamer has said, reports Dutch News.

Hamer, who investigates cases of sexual harassment in institutions on behalf of the government, said that colleges and universities have very little idea about the real number of cases of sexual harassment taking place on their premises every year.

Together they received a total of 300 reports of sexual harassment which is at odds with investigations that show the figure to be much higher. Half of young women between the ages of 18 and 24 say they suffered incidences of sexual harassment, Hamer pointed out. Students and staff often don’t report incidents because they think there will be no follow-up, she said. And while universities have agreed to appoint special counsellors to deal with the reports, many victims do not know who they should approach.
Full report on the Dutch News site