– I would say that metoo has not reached academia. Having such low notification numbers does not mean that you do not experience sexual harassment. On the contrary, I think these figures show that it is the other way around. That’s what Oline Sæther says, who is head of the Student Parliament at UiO. She believes that it is difficult for students to speak up if they are affected by harassment or bullying. The newspaper Khrono published this week a case about whistle-blowing cases in universities and colleges, where it appears that there was an increase in notifications about sexual harassment within the sector last year. Their review of 21 state universities and colleges from 2022 concludes that over 50 whistleblowing cases have been processed, from a sector with over 350,000 students and staff. The head of the Student Parliament in Oslo believes that the number of whistleblowing cases is high in the sector. Photo: Stig Jaarvik / news Thinks the balance of power in academia is skewed The leader of the Student Parliament in Oslo believes that universities and colleges are too largely characterized by hierarchical structures. Those who teach have the power to influence the students’ future, she says. – 1/3 of students in a recent survey answered that they have been sexually harassed. At the same time, many students lack the incentive and training to report, she believes. She points out that academia’s natural hierarchy, where teachers teach and assess students, makes the group vulnerable. She also believes that many people refuse or delay reporting, which often means that there is never a report. In addition, she believes that many students do not know where help can be found: – All students must receive a good and thorough introduction to what is okay and what is not okay and that they have a responsibility to speak up and know where they can go. Sæther believes that many students do not know that there is a student representative for advice and guidance. – Neither during metoo nor later has there been a settlement with the power structures in academia and how the hierarchy means that students have few reasons to report against those above them on the ladder, she says. The fisheries building at UiT – the Arctic University of Norway. At this university, five cases of sexual harassment were reported in 2022. Photo: Hans Ludvig Andreassen Big differences between the universities At UiT – Norway’s Arctic University, the proportion of reports is stably low, according to Khrono. They write that only 0.02 per cent of the over 21,000 students and staff associated with the university submitted a notice of harassment last year. The trend has been this way for the past five years. The figure corresponds to the national average. Also on a national basis, just under 1 per cent of students and staff send a formal notice via the notification systems, writes Khrono. Calling for a new, national survey It has been three years since the last time someone investigated the extent of bullying and harassment at Norwegian universities and colleges. By then, the metoo movement, which arrived in 2017, had begun to affect systems and workplaces. Based on that, UiA led the work to map the national scope, in collaboration with several institutions. The survey questioned over 42,000 employees at 26 educational institutions. The head of the committee for gender balance and diversity in research, Ragnhild Hennum, believes that such surveys should be carried out every five years. – The way I assess the figures, there is reason to believe that it is due to more people reporting in and using the systems. We want more people to report, says Hennum. – There is reason to believe that more people are reporting. It’s great, says Hennum. Photo: Anders Boine Verstad / news She believes that the sector should have a zero vision, especially since no one can know whether the black figures are high or low. She believes the value of conducting national surveys at regular intervals is good for keeping the momentum going. – Conducting such surveys regularly will help the sector to keep attention continuously on this important work, she believes. Student leader Oline Sæther agrees with Hennum that such a national review should be repeated – but that next time it should also include the students: – If you want to have such reviews, you have to look at the whole, and then the students must also be asked, she believes. – Should not occur at all Dag Rune Olsen, rector at UiT, believes that the digital notification system they have developed at the university is good, but that the most important thing is that there is continuous work on culture. – It is nice to see that we are at a stable, low number. But we must be aware that there may be dark figures, he says. The rector at UiT believes that academia, like all other sectors, received a solid wake-up call in the aftermath of metoo, and hopes that the work will enable them to achieve the goal of zero vision. The rector at UiT, Norway’s Arctic University, hopes that they achieve the goal of zero vision in the work against sexual harassment and bullying. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms UiT student Robin Johansen sits in the Student Parliament at the university and works to improve the learning environment for students associated with the university. – It is good that the numbers are increasing if this means that more cases come to light. If it means that more sexual offenses actually occur, that is of course negative, he says. Robin Johansen works in the Student Parliament at UiT – Norway’s Arctic University. Photo: Hans Ludvig Andreassen Johansen believes that the notification systems at the university are good, and new this year is that the notification system is also available in English for the many international students. Calling for a national notification representative Student leader Oline Sæther believes it is high time to establish a national notification representative for all sectors. She points out that an NOU from 2018 concluded that a separate notification act should be established, a national notification representative should be established, and a notification board should be established. Sæther believes that a national whistleblowing ombudsman will help uncover hidden figures not only in academia, but in all sectors. – It is very good that we have put the spotlight on this State Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel (Sp), tells news that sexual harassment should not happen anywhere in society. The Ministry of Education agrees that a closer look at the extent of sexual harassment in academia should be taken. Photo: Ragne B. Lysaker / Press photo – It is very good that we can shine a spotlight on this in academia as well, and we are following developments closely. Both students and staff must feel safe at Norwegian universities and colleges. Løkensgard Hoel says that a new national survey among employees in academia will be able to provide a good survey to ensure exactly that. It is something they will consider, he says.
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Increase in notifications about sexual harassment in academia – news Troms and Finnmark
