Sexual and gender-based violence, harassment, discrimination, hazing... these are not recent phenomena. However, although they have always existed, changing social norms and scientific research in recent years have made it possible to define them more precisely and develop a set of concepts.
Definitions & resources
Below is an overview of the main concepts and relevant associations or organizations in each of these areas.
Some key concepts
Consentis the clear, explicit, and enthusiastic agreement given by a person or group to another person or group, in full possession of their faculties.
A person may withdraw their consent at any time, and their choice must be respected. A person may give their consent for specific acts, and it is important that the request be renewed for any other acts.
Gender-based and sexual violence
Sexist behavioris defined as any action related to the gender of a person or group of people, with the purpose or effect of violating their dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.
Sexual harassment isdefined as repeatedly subjecting a person to comments or behavior of a sexual nature that either undermines their dignity due to its degrading or humiliating nature, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for them.
Sexual harassment includes any form ofserious pressure (in exchange for compensation or under threat) with the real or apparent aim of obtaining a sexual act, even if it is not repeated.
Sexual assault isa sexual offense committed with violence, coercion, threats, or surprise (e.g., non-consensual massages, touching, etc.).
Rape isan act of sexual penetration committed against a person using violence, coercion, threats, or surprise. Any act of penetration with sexual connotations committed against a non-consenting person is considered rape.
Discrimination
Discrimination isunfavorable treatment based on one or more criteria defined by law, in a situation covered by the law (workplace, access to goods or services, places, training, and education). There are 25 criteria for discrimination recognized by French law, which you can findhere.
The fact that an assault or act of violence is associated with one of these criteria constitutes an aggravating factor. The main point of contact in France for the fight against discrimination is theHuman Rights Defender. He can be contacted about these specific issues on the website:https://www.antidiscriminations.fr/
Hazing and harassment
Harassment isdefined as repeated verbal, psychological, and/or physical abuse that has harmful physical or psychological consequences for a person. It can take many different forms, but has three main characteristics: it is violent, repeated, and contributes to the isolation of the victim(s).
Control isa form of domination exercised by one person over another who has a hold over their mind and/or will. It is a form of moral and/or intellectual domination, in which the victim is unaware of what is happening to them.
This type of abuse is most commonly found in intimate relationships (couples, friendships) and can also be observed in certain hierarchical relationships (mentoring, apprenticeships, professional life). The main signs of situations of control for the victim are: constant self-deprecation, social isolation, a tendency to define oneself through the person exercising control, etc. A good indicator of relationships isthe violence meter.
Hazing isdefined as the act of forcing another person, whether against their will or not, to undergo or commit humiliating or degrading acts, or to consume alcohol excessively, during events or gatherings related to school, sports, or socio-educational settings. Acts of hazing, except in aggravated cases involving violence, threats, or sexual assault, are punishable by law.
ASSOCIATIVE RESOURCES
Gender-based and sexual violence
- CLASCHES, a collective fighting sexual harassment in higher education and research, offers a series of guides, awareness-raising content, and resources to combat sexual harassment and gender-based and sexual violence.
- TheFrenchgovernment's "Stop Violence"platform brings together documentation, legal information, and various contact numbers as part of the fight against gender-based and sexual violence.
- TheNous Toutescollective fights against violence against women in general. Its website provides awareness-raising documentation, as well as helpline numbers and contact details for professionals who can support victims of violence.
Moral harassment at work
- The INRS websiteoffers documentation to inform you about workplace bullying.
Bullying during your studies or hazing
- You can find documentation and information about the legal framework regarding hazing and related forms of psychological harassment onthis website.
- For more detailed information and access to the various MESRI reports on this subject, you can also visitthis website.
Discrimination
- The authority in France responsible for combating discrimination is the Defender of Rights. You can find contact information and definitions ontheir website.
The Human Rights Defender is also behindthis guide,which aimsto inform,raise awareness, and combat discrimination.
