Graduate School Forest and Agricultural Sciences (GFA)

Discrimination

In accordance with the General Equal Treatment Act (in German: Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz or AGG), all members and relatives are protected by the University against discrimination, including sexual harassment.
This applies to all employees (according to AGG) as well as to matriculated doctoral candidates and scholarship holders (according to Lower Saxony Higher Education Act - Niedersächsisches Hochschulgesetz, NHG §42, 6).

You will receive advice and support both as a person affected and as a supporter of those affected, for example from the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit of the University. Don´t hesitate to contact us first and we will then approach the next steps and considerations together. If you are seeking advice, everything will be treated strictly confidential.

Further Information / Guidelines


Sexual harassment/abuse

The following definitions and explanations are borrowed and translated from Was tun bei sexueller Belästigung am Arbeitsplatz?
Difference between flirt and harassment
Flirtations occur with mutual consent. Assaultive behaviour occurs without the consent of the other person. The behaviour is therefore transgressive. Especially when the person involved signals rejection or is humiliated or embarrassed by the behaviour.

Verbal harassment
Verbal harassment can be suggestive remarks and jokes or intrusive comments about clothing, appearance or private life. They can also be sexual incitements or questions with sexual content, such as about private life or private sphere, inappropriate invitations to a date or requests for intimate acts.

Non-verbal harassment
Non-verbal harassments are for example obtrusive and insinuating glances or whistling at someone. In addition, unwanted messages, photos or videos with sexual content and intrusive advances on social media are considered harassment. Furthermore, the placing or distribution of pornographic material and indecent exposure is harassing.

Physical harassment
Examples of another form of harassment are unwanted touches such as stroking, hugs or kisses, even if it is seemingly accidental. The usual physical distance is about an arm's length, if it is not recognised, it is an example of harassment as well as physical violence and any form of sexualised assault up to rape.

Information about counselling on sexualised assaults and harrasment, discrimination based on sex can be found on the website of the Equal Opportunities and Diversity Unit of the University.

Contacts

Further Information / Guidelines