Fight against harassment and sexist and sexual violence

Harassment, sexist or sexual violence are not tolerated within the EPHE-PSL. These actions are unfortunately realities in all professional environments, including in higher education and research, where there are power relations that can lead to abuses. In association with the PSL University system, the EPHE-PSL has set up since 2019 a listening and monitoring unit against sexual harassment and sexist behavior, coordinated by the Equality Office.

The EPHE-PSL has a "Zero Tolerance" policy against harassment and sexual violence. Whether you are a victim, a witness or looking for information, the EPHE encourages you to contact the Equality Officer, Valentine Zuber.

What is gender-based and sexual violence?

After experiencing sexist and discriminatory behaviour, you may face harassment, assault and even rape.

"Sexual harassment is the act of repeatedly imposing on a person comments or behaviour with sexual connotations that either undermine his or her dignity because of their degrading or humiliating nature, or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation against him or her (...). The facts are punishable by two years in prison and a fine of 30,000 euros." (Art. 222-33 of the Criminal Code)

Harassment can take different forms:

• inappropriate remarks about the physique or clothing that make you feel uncomfortable;
• insistent looks;
• intrusive comments or questions;
• photographs or videos taken without knowledge and disseminated on social networks;
• unwanted and rejected sexual proposals, sexual blackmail;
• forced physical contact.

Alert, report, be accompanied

If you are a witness or victim of reprehensible acts (sexist behaviour, harassment, sexual assault, rape or attempted rape), you can contact the listening and monitoring unit, in order to break the isolation, break the silence and denounce acts of harassment and violence.

This unit may be referred to for acts taking place during the courses, activity or missions of the persons concerned.

You will be offered an interview in order to collect your testimony and consider solutions, as well as possible disciplinary proceedings and/or legal proceedings, in accordance with your wishes and in complete confidentiality.

The unit is composed of 2 lecturers, 2 BIATSS agents, 2 student representatives, a lawyer, a psychologist, the occupational physician, as well as a member of the HR department. These people are authorised to answer calls, consult messages, inform you and guide you towards possible remedies, receive you for one or more interviews, guide you and accompany you in the event of a complaint or procedure.

The Listening Unit also has the mission of preventing and disseminating information relating to sexual harassment and gender-based violence (rights, procedures, conduct of the internal procedure).

In particular, it organises training courses for students, lecturers and staff of the EPHE-PSL.

The aim is to help you identify a situation of sexual harassment, as a victim or witness, to speak out to denounce these intolerable acts, to provide you with the keys to defuse delicate situations and to make you aware of the possible remedies.

Other useful contacts

• Within the EPHE-PSL, you can contact the Dean of your Section, the person in charge of your doctoral school or master's degree, your direct or indirect hierarchical superior, a member of the Human Resources Department, a union delegate, a member of the CHSCT or a teacher you trust.
• PSL's listening unit and the online questionnaire. If you are afraid of a possible conflict of interest, it is quite possible to turn to PSL's listening and monitoring unit instead. If the request is made, it can accompany the person in his or her efforts, make a report, in agreement with the person, without judgment or taking a position and inform the President of the EPHE-PSL who may mandate an internal investigation and initiate disciplinary proceedings.
• In Paris, you can go to the emergency department of the Saint-Antoine hospital (84 rue duFaubourg Saint-Antoine, 75012 Paris). A direct link has been established between the emergency department and the police station of the 12th arrondissement, which makes it possible to consult a doctor and file a complaint at the same time.
• You can contact a gendarmerie or a police station which will register the complaint or the events (the purpose of which is not to prosecute the perpetrator of the facts but to report the nature and date of the facts to the police, which can be useful in the context of a future trial). The police or gendarmerie services are obliged to register the complaint.
• You can also file a complaint directly with the public prosecutor: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R11469