Sexual Discrimination and Harassment
Sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence are social realities that can play a role in both private and professional life. People affected by them are often impacted in their health and ability to work.
Universität Hamburg provides employee assistance, including confidential and, if desired, anonymous counseling options. Our counseling services are also available for those indirectly affected.
Colleagues, relatives, or supervisors are also welcome to seek advice on handling sexual discrimination and harassment. Moreover, we support people who feel misunderstood in this context or who aim to reflect or change their own, possibly unintentionally transgressive behavior. Our prevention work comprises seminars, workshops, and further activities focusing on sexual discrimination and harassment.
What are sexual discrimination and harassment?
Sexual discrimination and harassment involve unwanted, degrading, threatening and/or discriminatory behavior related to a person’s sexuality, gender, or gender identity. They represent a violation of personal rights and an attack on the dignity of the target. Women and members of the LGBTIQ+ community are particularly frequent targets.
Sexual discrimination, harassment, and violence can be expressed in words, gestures or actions, such as
- sex- and gender-based discrimination;
- unwanted comments regarding a person’s appearance or private life;
- sexist remarks and jokes;
- unwanted touching and obtrusiveness;
- stereotypical role attributions and expectations;
- questioning the gender identity or sexual orientation of a person;
- stalking, exhibitionism, or confronting with pornographic material;
- domestic violence; and
- sexual coercion, physical assault, or rape.
Sexual discrimination and harassment can occur in both private and professional contexts. Generally, it is a matter of power rather than of sexuality; it may involve the exploitation of dependency in relationships, expressed or implied demands of sexual favors in exchange for some benefit, or threats to cause disadvantages in the workplace. Nonetheless, people of all hierarchical levels and status groups may find themselves in such situations.
Sexual discrimination, harassment, or violence can impair a person’s mental and physical health. They often trigger feelings of fear, shame, disgust, or anger. Sleep disorders, concentration problems, and depression can be long-term effects. Eventually, the working ability of the target and ultimately the entire team and working atmosphere are likely to suffer.
Sexual discrimination and violence are still taboos, so targeted people and those in their environment often find it difficult to talk about them. We thus aim to encourage those affected, relatives, colleagues, and supervisors to reach out and contact us. Professional counseling can help both the target and their environment to cope with such situations and seek solutions.
Counseling and coaching for staff
Experiencing sexual discrimination or harassment makes most people feel helpless, overwhelmed, and full of questions about the situation and its consequences. Relatives, colleagues, or observers are often unsure about how to best tackle this problem. Professional counseling can help you clarify the situation and develop your own action plan.
All counseling sessions are confidential, open-outcome-based, and subject to confidentiality. Neither the session's topic nor information about the session as such are passed on to third parties. Sessions can be conducted anonymously if desired. The advice seeker can freely choose the session topics and further steps.
We provide targets, colleagues, or witnesses with:
- clarification, e.g., by elucidating tricky, ambiguous situations etc.;
- in-depth counseling, e.g., on emotional relief options, individual coping strategies, etc.;
- advising on the University’s complaint procedure;
- support and guidance on possible further steps; or
- information on recommended external specialists, etc.
Counseling and coaching for supervisors
When an employee raises the issue of sexual discrimination or harassment with you as their supervisor, questions arise, such as “How can I assess the situation? How must I proceed and what steps may result from that? How can I help the target or their team?”. In such moments, a responsible approach to the situation is essential.
You do no have to solve this complex challenge alone! Professional counseling and/or coaching can help you position yourself in the best possible way.
Counseling or individual coaching helps you, e.g.,:
- prepare for difficult meetings;
- cope with affected employees;
- approach those involved;
- enhance team culture;
- manage your own resources; and
- deal with stress, exhaustion, and strain, etc.
Additional workshops or lectures—for example, on sexual discrimination and harassment—are part of our program. We also offer events and activities that focus on potential consequences, such as depression, burnout, or anxiety.
All consultations are confidential, neither topics nor information about a session are passed on to third parties. Sessions can be conducted anonymously if desired. The advice seeker can freely choose the session topics and further steps.
Counseling services provided
- Clarification of the situation
- In-depth counseling sessions
- Advising on the complaint procedure at the University
- Support and advising in regard to further, mutually agreed steps
- Recommendations regarding external specialist advisory offices
Where does counseling take place?
- Welckerstraße 8, 4th floor, room 4.15
- Or a location of your choice
Making an appointment
News: We currently offer counseling by telephone or video chat only—for example, via Microsoft Teams or Zoom—to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
Schedule a personal meeting via email or telephone with
Email: angelina.baster@uni-hamburg.de(lisa.gutenbrunner"AT"uni-hamburg.de)
You may arrange for meetings without giving your name. All counseling sessions are confidential, open-outcome-based, and subject to confidentiality.
External specialist advice
Find selected emergency numbers and external counseling options here. Contact us if you have further questions.
Angelina Baster
angelina.baster@uni-hamburg.de
Tel: +49 40 42838-5300; mobile phone: +49 0151 58332361
Emergency contacts
- FrauenNotRuf—NOTRUF für vergewaltigte Frauen und Mädchen e.V. (rape crisis helpline for women and girls), Tel: +49 40-25 55 66, www.frauennotruf-hamburg.de
- Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen—helpline of the Bundesamt für Familie und zivilgesellschaftliche Aufgaben, (Federal Office for Family and Civic Duties, BAFzA), Tel: 08000-116 016, www.hilfetelefon.de
- Opferhilfe e.V.—Beratung bei Gewalt und Trauma (advising for victims of violence and trauma), Tel: +49 40-381 993, opferhilfe-hamburg.de
- Weißer Ring, Opfer-Telefon (helpline for victims of crime and violence), Tel: 116006, www.weisser-ring.de
Advising for LGBTIQ* persons
- Magnus-Hirschfeld-Centrum—advising for LGBTIQ*, Tel: +49 40-278 778 00, www.mhc-hh.de
- Police contacts for LSBTI* www.polizei.hamburg
Advising for people from immigrant backgrounds
- Lâle in der IKB—Interkulturelle Beratungsstelle für Opfer von Häuslicher Gewalt und Zwangsheirat (advising for victims of domestic violence and forced marriage), Tel: +49 40-30 22 79 78, www.ikb-lale.de
- Verikom—Verbund für interkulturelle Kommunikation und Bildung e.V. (cross-cultural advising on domestic violence, stalking, and forced marriage), Tel: +49 40-350 177226, www.verikom.de
A first port of call for student victims of sexual discrimination and violence is the Campus Center.