STOP Harassment

When an interaction between two people leads to an intimidating, hostile and offensive situation through words and behavior that undermine a participant’s dignity, it is a harassment situation. Harassment can be verbal (comments, insults, rumors), non-verbal (looks, gestures), or physical (aggression).

Harassment situations can take two forms, sometimes combined:

• Moral: Criticism of work practices (denigration, systematic questioning), humiliation in front of colleagues, psychological pressure (being put on the spot, withholding information, etc.).
• Sexual: looks, gestures, comments, or actions with a sexual connotation, of a degrading and humiliating nature (insistent looks, comments on private life, remarks on the body, forced massages, physical aggression, sexual touching).

These situations are recognized and punished by law (article 222–33 of the penal code).

• Moral harassment is defined as “repeated acts which have the purpose or effect of degrading conditions in the workplace likely to infringe on an individual’s rights and dignity, to alter his or her physical or mental health, and to compromise his or her professional future.” It does not presuppose a hierarchical relationship: the acts in question may involve superiors, colleagues, or subordinates.
• Sexual harassment is the repeated imposition on an individual of comments or behavior with a sexual connotation, which either undermines the individual’s dignity by being degrading or humiliating, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation. Sexual harassment is the use at any time and even if not repeated, of any form of serious pressure with the real or apparent aim of obtaining an act of a sexual nature, whether this is sought for the benefit of the perpetrator or a third party.

• Do not isolate yourself.
• Talk about it.
• Protect yourself and help those being harassed.
• Report harassment.

Are you a target or witness of harassment? A unit is on hand to support and inform you, and to provide you with institutional assistance.

The unit is composed of the following members: Sandrine Berroir ; Nadine Cattan ; Luc Guibard ; Jean Makhlouta ; Saber Marrouchi ; Juliette Maulat ; Anati Méjanès ; Marie-Vic Ozouf-Marignier ; Camille Schmoll.

Each member of this team is here to listen and help you. You can speak to any of them individually about your situation. You can also send a message to the following joint e-mail address: stopharcelement ( at ) parisgeo.cnrs.fr

• At the Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, a specific system for informing and dealing with harassment situations has been set up to raise awareness among staff and students of the various forms of harassment. It also aims to support and protect victims by helping them to report harassment, and by ensuring that harassment situations cease as soon as they are reported. Find out more about this scheme and access a guide to anti-harassment measures.
• A l’Université Paris Cité, un dispositif externalisé d’écoute et d’accompagnement des victimes du harcèlement sexuel a été confié à une structure extérieure (Women Safe/Institut en Santé Génésique – ISG). Consultez l’ensemble des informations sur ce dispositif.
• A l’EHESS, une cellule de veille et d’information a pour mission d’écouter, d’informer et d’orienter les agent-e-s et étudiant-e-s se sentant victimes de harcèlement sexuel. Consultez les renseignements sur le site de l’EHESS ou lisez la plaquette d’information dédiée.
• The CNRS has a system in place for reporting acts of violence, discrimination, moral, or sexual harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace. The address signalement@cnrs.fr enables victims and witnesses to report any sexist behavior, harassment, or violence to the CNRS. A helpline is provided by the France-Victimes association (cnrs@france-victimes.fr). For further information, visit the CNRS website.

Structures other than the tutelles offer resources for information on sexual and moral harassment and help for victims.

The association CLASCHES (collectif de lutte contre le harcèlement sexuel dans l’enseignement supérieur) is committed to combating sexual harassment in higher education and research. The collective has produced a guide for everyone (to inform and defend themselves against harassment) and also a guide for higher education and research establishments. For more information, visit the CLASHES website.