Fils d'Ariane

University : Main content

Titre de page

Anti-Sexist and Sexual Violence Unit

Share on |

Contenu de la page principale

The Missions of the Anti-Sexist and Sexual Violence Unit (CLVSS)

  • To run prevention and awareness campaigns and to train people to address sexist and sexual violence;
  • To listen, to help, to provide guidance and support for members of the academic community (students and staff), whether they were victims or witnesses of sexist and sexual violence.

Within the framework of its missions, the CLVSS will receive people, gather information, and when necessary notify the Presidency of the University to take appropriate actions (internal inquiry, precautionary measures, disciplinary actions).

The members of the CLVSS' listening and guiding unit are bound by professional secrecy and ensure the victims' anonymity. They are committed to respecting the rules of confidentiality, professional secrecy, circumspection, and objectivity.

 

Sexist Violence

The n°2018-703 law of 3 August 2019 further combating sexist and sexual violence defines offensive sexist behaviour as "sexual or sexist comments or behaviours imposed to someone either prejudicing their dignity due to their degrading or humiliating nature, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive situation".

In this way the definition is similar to that of sexual harassment, but without the condition that the behaviour be of a repetitive nature, and so one comment or behaviour can be an offence.

 

Sexual Assault

Sexual assault can be defined as "any sexual act committed with violence, coercion, threat, or surprise" (see Penal code, art. 222-22).

 

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can be defined as "repeated sexual or sexist comments or behaviours imposed to someone either prejudicing their dignity due to their degrading or humiliating nature, or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive situation. Any use of severe coercion, even not repeated, with the real or apparent goal of obtaining a sexual act, whether sought for the perpetrator or for another, shall be treated as sexual harassment" (see Penal code, art. 222-33).

The victim's rejection does not need to be explicitly stated, but can "appear from the context in which the offence was committed, evidence leading the judge to consider an objective lack of consent" (circular of 7 August 2012 submitted with the law regarding sexual harassment).

To be considered sexual harassment, the behaviours must either prejudice the dignity of the victim ("openly sexist, bawdy, obscene comments or behaviours"), or create a situation in which "life, work, or housing conditions are unbearable" (circular of 7 August 2012 submitted with the law regarding sexual harassment).

In the case of repeated actions, "the condition for repeated acts (...) simply requires at least two instances" (circular of 7 August 2012 submitted with the law regarding sexual harassment). It is also considered sexual harassment to pressure someone, even only once, with the real or supposed aim of obtaining sexual acts, in exchange for employment, a promotion, maintaining benefits or on the contrary to avoid sanctions. This is commonly called "sexual blackmail".

 

Discriminations

According to article 225-1 of the Penal code, a discrimination is a distinction made between physical persons based on their origin, their gender, their familial situation, their pregnancy, their physical appearance, the particular vulnerability resulting from their economic situation, apparent or known to the perpetrator, their surname, their place of residence, their health state, their loss of autonomy, their disability, their genetical characteristics, their customs, their sexual orientation, their gender identity, their age, their political opinions, their union activities, their ability to express themselves in another language than French, their  actual or supposed membership or non-membership of a particular ethnic group, nation, alleged race or religion.

 

Psychological Harassment

According to article 222-33-2-2 of the Penal code, bullying a person with repeated comments or behaviour with the aim or effect of degrading their living conditions by altering their physical or mental health is punishable by one year's imprisonment and a fine of €15,000 when these acts have caused a total incapacity for work of less than or equal to eight days, or have not resulted in any incapacity for work.

The offence is also characterized:

  • When these comments or behaviours are imposed on the same victim be several perpetrators, in a concerted manner or at the instigation of one of them, even though each of these persons has not acted repeatedly;
  • When these comments or behaviours are imposed on the same victim, successively, by several persons who, even in the absence of consultation, know that these words or behaviours characterise a repetition.

 

Ragging

According to article 225-16-1 of the Penal code, apart from cases of violence, threats or sexual offences, ragging is the fact that a person causes another person, whether it is against their will or not, to undergo or commit humiliating or degrading acts or to consume alcohol excessively, during events or meetings linked to the school, sports and socio-educational environment, and is punishable by six months' imprisonment and a fine of €7,500.

 

How to Report Sexist and Sexual Violence Related to the University

Any member of the academic community, victim or direct witness of violence, can make a report to the listening unit of the CLVSS by emailing stopvss@univ-orleans.fr.

Depending on the wishes of the individual making a report, it may be accompanied by a report form (see below). The unit, through the Equality Task Force Officer and the head of the Hygiene and Safety Department, will acknowledge receipt of the report. An appointment will be offered so as to listen and gather the necessary information to analyse the situation. The listening and guiding unit will also offer guidance to the victim about medical, social, psychological, and legal support. When necessary, the CLVSS will forward the elements to the Presidency of the University to take appropriate action (internal inquiry, precautionary measures, disciplinary actions).

▼ Report form ▼

 

To Report Sexist and Sexual Violence Unrelated to the University

 ► stop-violences-femmes.gouv.fr

Reporting a rape or a sexual assault

Image
Affiche Stop au sexisme
Image
Affiche Stop aux agressions sexuelles
Image
Affiche Stop au harcèlement sexuel