Recognition and prevention of violence in the academic environment

The University of Ljubljana has a zero-tolerance policy on all forms of violence, sexual and other harassment, and bullying. Any behaviour or conduct is unacceptable if it violates someone’s dignity, unreasonably interferes with someone’s personal rights and integrity, or creates a dangerous, intimidating, degrading, or otherwise hostile environment. The University of Ljubljana is committed to creating and fostering an environment in which everyone’s dignity is respected, regardless of their personal circumstances.

An environment in which dignity is respected is an environment without harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, or other forms of violence. 

All University of Ljubljana employees and students are obliged to foster and develop respectful cooperation and conflict resolution, and to do everything possible to avoid actions and situations that are disrespectful of another person’s dignity.

We strongly emphasise that the responsibility for violence always lies with the perpetrator, not the victim.

What counts as violence?

Violence is any reprehensible or obviously negative behaviour or conduct directed against someone with the intention or effect of causing them physical, psychological, sexual, or economic harm.

Harassment is any conduct related to any kind of personal circumstance, with the effect or intention of violating the dignity of a person, and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

In particular, harassment includes:

• ridicule;
• humiliation;
• intimidation;
• defamation;
• physical aggression;
• other similar behaviour and conduct.

Sexual harassment is any form of verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct or behaviour of a sexual nature, with the effect or intention of violating someone’s dignity, in particular where this creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. In particular, sexual harassment includes:

• sexual advances or coercion to sexual activity;
• sexually suggestive remarks, obscene comments about a person’s clothing, anatomy, or appearance;
• turning work discussions to sexual topics;
• displaying pornographic or sexually suggestive materials;
• unwanted looks and unrequited flirting;
• sexually suggestive gestures and leering at a person’s body;
• unwanted intentional touching;
• forced sexual intercourse or other sexual acts;
• other similar behaviours and conduct.

Bullying is any repeated or systematic, reprehensible or obviously negative and insulting conduct or behaviour directed against a person.

In particular, repeated bullying includes:

• abuse and insults, ridicule;
• written threats;
• limiting communication (relocating an employee to prevent contact with other employees, denying them access to means of communication, monitoring of emails, and similar);
• persistent and unfounded criticism of work performance;
• ignoring;
• not assigning any tasks to an employee,
• or assigning them meaningless tasks;
• unjustified threats of dismissal;
• threats of physical violence or use of violence;
• other similar behaviours and conduct.

Visit the website of the Association for Non-Violent Communication to learn what counts as violence, what are the strategies for reducing violence, and what is non-violent communication. 

Support for victims of violence

If you are a victim of violence and need help, the website of the Association for Non-Violent Communication provides a list of useful resources. The Reclaim the Power Association provides support for victims of sexual violence – see their website for further information and support options.

We want to provide a safe space and protection for all victims of violence, and we will consistently implement all the prescribed procedures to ensure this. Measures to ensure an environment in which the dignity of employees and students is respected, measures for the elimination of the consequences of violations of dignity, and actions in the event of a false accusation of violations of dignity, are regulated by Rules on Measures to Protect the Dignity of Employees at the University of Ljubljana and Students of the University of Ljubljana. Preparations are currently underway to develop new Rules.

Roundtable discussions on recognising and preventing violence in the academic environment

Violence and its recognition and prevention are extremely important topics, so it is crucial that everyone has the opportunity to learn more about this issue, and be able to help themselves or others in need. If you have not been able to join our roundtables on this topic, we invite you to watch the video of the discussions from 9 April 2021:

• for students: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1ebbO8X_Ko
• for employees: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6nv8dia2wQ

Trusted persons

In cooperation with UL members, we are building a network of trusted persons you can contact if you’re a victim of sexual harassment, harassment, or bullying.

The list of trusted persons at UL members will be published on this page.