Harassment, violence and discrimination

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The University of Bordeaux fosters tolerance and respect. It takes a firm stand against all types of violence and discrimination. Our watchdog office dedicated to listening, monitoring and reporting unacceptable behaviour is available to victims and witnesses.

Photo : At the first signs of harassment or violence, it is crucial to contact the University's professionals who will offer a listening ear © Gautier Dufau
At the first signs of harassment or violence, it is crucial to contact the University's professionals who will offer a listening ear © Gautier Dufau

What should I do if I’m a victim or a witness?

Have you experienced or witnessed deliberate physical harm, violence, discrimination, sexual or moral harassment, gender-based behaviour, threats or intimidation?

Don’t go through it on your own. The professionals at the CEVS watchdog office are there to guide and support you, while respecting your anonymity
Staffed by professional counsellors, the watchdog office is committed to responding quickly and specifically to situations brought to its attention.
It also acts to prevent and dissuade any abusive behaviour.

Contact the watchdog office: celluledeveille.etudiant%40u-bordeaux.fr

Fast, appropriate support

  1. Reporting
    Once your request has been recorded by the CEVS coordinator, an appointment will be set with third-party psychologists designated by the University within 2 to 5 working days.
  2. Anonymity and confidentiality
    The procedure guarantees your anonymity and the confidentiality of the information you provide. The psychologists are bound by professional secrecy and will not share any of your information, if you wish to remain anonymous.
  3. Care
    Third-party psychologists, in partnership with the University, trained to listen and provide support will take care of you. At the time of your appointment in a neutral setting, they will identify your needs and the steps to take in order to deal with the situation. They will offer help gathering evidence. 
  4. Information about procedures
    You will be informed about the different steps that can be taken. 
    Lifting anonymity will allow the CEVS to pass on your report/to inform the relevant departments about your situation so any precautionary measures can be taken, if necessary, and the appropriate disciplinary or criminal proceedings can be initiated.
  5. Support 
    After your appointment, you may be offered psychological and/or medical support.

Social Services

You can also get help from the CROUS and Student Health Centre social workers.

Learn more

  • Contact for students

    celluledeveille.etudiant%40u-bordeaux.fr

  • Contact for staff

    celluledeveille.personnel%40u-bordeaux.fr+

Harassment, violence and discrimination:
what is it?

Sexual and Gender-based Violence

Any form of misconduct or violence committed without consent through sexual acts or targeting sexuality, including sexual assault and sexual harassment. The concept of gender-based and sexual violence encompasses any misconduct that is demonstrated, in particular through non-consensual gestures, words, behaviour or attitudes of a sexual nature, with or without physical contact, such as:

  • gender-based comments
  • indecent assault
  • sexualised exploitation
  • production or use of degrading sexual images
  • voyeurism
  • exhibitionism
  • cyberbullying
  • sexual exploitation
  • abusive demonstrations of undesired interest

What is sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV)?

Sexual violence can occur in person, on the phone, verbally or in writing and via technological means, on Internet and social media.

Examples

  • Making sexual jokes or misogynistic comments
  • Using innuendo to comment on someone’s appearance
  • Making calls, sending texts or emails with sexual undertones
  • Mentally undressing someone
  • Insistently asking someone out despite their refusal or silence
  • Offering privileges in exchange for sexual favours
  • Forcing someone to perform sexual acts on themselves or someone else
  • Caressing, kissing, touching someone sexually against their will
  • Standing too close to someone for no reason, brushing up against them, cornering them
  • Asking questions or making unwelcome remarks about someone’s sex life
  • Alluding to one’s own sexual activities in front of others
  • Getting someone intoxicated with the aim of sexually assaulting them

What does the law say?

  • Rape
    Definition: an act of sexual penetration, or any oral-genital act of whatever nature, committed against another person’s body or on the perpetrator’s body by violence, coercion, threat or surprise.
    Article 222-23 to 222-26 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: 15 years of imprisonment (20 years in the event of aggravating circumstances and 30 years if the act results in the death of the victim).
  • Sexual assault
    Definition: a non-penetrative sexual act committed with violence, coercion, threat or surprise.
    Sexual assault is an offence.
    Articles 222-22 and 222-28 to 222-31 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: 5 years of imprisonment and a €75,000 fine (from 7 to 10 years’ imprisonment and from a fine from €100,000 to €150,000 in the event of aggravating circumstances).
  • Sexual exhibition
    Definition: forcing a non-consenting person to view a sexual exhibition in a place open to public view. Article 222-32 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: 1 year of imprisonment and a €15,000 fine
  • Voyeurism
    Definition: the act of using any means to view someone’s private parts that the person, due to their clothing or their presence in an enclosed area, has hidden from view of third parties, when committed without the person’s knowledge or consent. Article 226-3-1 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: 1 year of imprisonment and a €15,000 fine
  • Administration of substances
    Definition: administering to a person, without their knowledge, a substance of such a nature as to impair their discernment or control of their actions so as to commit rape or sexual assault against them. Article 222-30-1 of the French Criminal Code.
    Punishable by: 5 years of imprisonment and a €75,000 fine
  • Sexual harassment
    Definition: repeatedly (= at least twice) imposing on a person behaviour or comments with sexual undertones, which either violate their dignity because of their degrading or humiliating nature, or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation for them.
    Sexual harassment is defined by the use, even if not repeated, of any form of serious pressure with the real or apparent aim of obtaining an act of sexual nature, whether it is sought for the benefit of the perpetrator or a third party. Article 222-33 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: 2years of imprisonment and a €45,000 fine
  • Gender-based, homophobic or transphobic insults
    Definition: an insult is any spoken or written comment or expression of any kind of thought addressed to a person with the intention of hurting or offending them. Insults are punishable by law. Insults may be private or public. They may also be racist, gender-based or homophobic. Criminal penalties take these different elements into account. Public insults are subject to a specific procedure that makes it possible to punish them while preserving freedom of speech.
    Article R625-8-1 of the French Criminal Code (non-public insults); Article 33 of the Law of 29 July 1881 (public insults).
    Punishable by: 1 year of imprisonment and a €45,000 fine
  • Gender based affront
    Definition: imposing on a person any behaviour or comments with gender-based or sexual undertones, which either violate their dignity because of its degrading or humiliating nature, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation for them.
    Article 621-1 of the French Criminal Code
    Punishable by: fine ranging from €750 - €1500
  • Gender-based behaviour
    Definition: any conduct related to the gender of a person, the purpose or effect of which is to violate their dignity or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It is punishable by a disciplinary sanction as it concerns labour relations.
    Article L1142-2-1 of the French Labour Code; Article 6bis of the Law of 1983.

Harassment

Harassment means:

  • vexing conduct in the form of repeated behaviour, words, acts or gestures that are hostile or unwanted, whether or not based on discriminatory grounds (colour, gender, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, marital status, age, religion, political convictions, language, ethnic or national origin, social status, disability, etc.) 
  • conduct that is likely to offend a person’s dignity, physical or psychological integrity, or likely to compromise a right, or hinder the work or study performance of a person or a group of persons, or create an intimidating or hostile work or study environment.

What is harassment?

Harassment can occur within the student community: between students, between people of different status or between colleagues. It can involve behaviour which, considered separately, may seem trivial, but that becomes very damaging if repeated. These may include:

  • preventing someone from expressing themselves: constantly interrupting, not allowing them to speak to others
  • isolating someone: no longer talking to them, ignoring them, distancing them, depriving them of means of communication (telephone, computer, mail, etc.)
  • destabilising someone: making fun of their beliefs, preferences or weaknesses, making derogatory comments, questioning their judgement
  • demeaning someone: spreading rumours about them, making them look foolish, humiliating or insulting them
  • discrediting someone: no longer giving them tasks to do, assigning them tasks below their skill level or that they do not have the skills to do, setting them up to fail, feigning professional misconduct, demeaning them in front of others
  • threatening or assailing someone: shouting, shoving them, damaging their belongings
  • intimidating, blackmailing
  • following someone or having someone followed on a regular basis, waiting for them all the time, watching their every move, or their whereabouts
  • making disparaging comments, biased insinuations, isolating or discrediting someone on the basis of colour, gender, pregnancy status, sexual orientation, marital status, age, religion, political convictions, language, ethnic or national origin, social status, disability, etc.

Discrimination

In legal terms, discrimination is unfavourable treatment that consists of distinguishing, excluding or preferring someone based on a criterion prohibited by law.

To date, French law recognises over 25 criteria of discrimination: age, gender, origin, real or assumed affiliation or non-affiliation with an ethnic group, nationality or alleged race, pregnancy status, state of health, disability, genetic characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, political opinions, trade union activities, philosophical opinions, beliefs, or real or assumed affiliation or non-affiliation with a specific religion, family situation, physical appearance, name, morals, place of residence, loss of independence, particular vulnerability resulting from economic situation, ability to express oneself in a language other than French, bank address, etc.

There are three forms of discrimination: direct, indirect and systemic.

Discrimination can have negative consequences. It creates inequalities between people and prevents them from exercising their rights, in particular their right to equality. It can have material consequences (for example, not having access to housing or employment) and psychological consequences (feeling of injustice, low self-esteem, etc.)

What is discrimination?

Discrimination can take the form of microaggressions, which are verbal or non-verbal actions or behaviours that communicate condescending or negative attitudes toward people, regarding their affiliation with one or several marginalised groups. Microaggressions are frustrating and debilitating for the person targeted and have harmful effects on their mental health.

Examples of microaggressions include:

  • repeated reminders of a person’s origins or frequent derogatory references to those origins
  • comments regarding a person’s physical appearance
  • comparison with other famous people regarding their origins
  • comments on a person’s accent
  • deliberately withholding work- or study-related information from a racialised person
  • more frequent checks on a person’s performance
  • constant questioning of a person’s knowledge or skills
  • lack of receptiveness to a person’s ideas
  • comments or gestures that assume broad homogeneity with a person’s ethnocultural group
  • non-verbal expressions or looks indicating distrust of a person

Emergency numbers

  • 17: Police 
  • 18: Firefighters
  • 15: Medical Emergencies (SAMU)
  • 0 800 05 95 95: SOS Rape – Women victim of rape or sexual assault (victims, those close to the victim or professionals)
  • +33 (0)1 40 47 06 06: Support for female victims of violence with disabilities (Femmes pour le Dire, Femmes pour Agir)
  • 0 800 08 11 11: Sexuality, contraception and abortion
  • +33 (0)8 019 019 11: French nationwide number for prevention aimed at perpetrators of violence
  • 3928: Discrimination
  • 116006: Asso France Victime

Contacts & Useful Links

  • CLASCHES – Collective against sexual harassment in higher education
    Feminist student association campaigning to make visible a reality that is all too often hidden, and to share tools to help victims to speak out, react, and not allow themselves to be victimised.
    Website: clasches.fr (in French)
  • AVFT – European Association combating Violence against women in the workplace
    An independent feminist association that defends the rights to work and to personal integrity. Its field of action and reflection covers all forms of violence against women, although it is specialised in denouncing gender-based and sexual violence in the workplace.
    Website: avft.org (in French)
  • Police or Gendarmerie reporting portal #DontLetAnythingSlide
    This portal offers an immediate interactive discussion with a police officer or gendarme specifically trained to deal with victims of sexual and gender-based violence. It is available 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.
    Website: arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr/ (in French
  • CAUVA – ncy shelter for victims of assault
    EmergeOpen Monday to Friday, 9 am - 7 pm - Tel: +33 (0)5 56 79 87 77 - cauva%40chu-bordeaux.fr
  • Vict’AID –  victim assistance association
    Support for female victims - Tel: +33 (0)5 56 01 28 69 - victaid%40institut-don-bosco.fr
  • Maison des femmes (Women’s Centre)
    27 cours Alsace et Lorraine, 33000 Bordeaux – Tel: +33 (0)5 56 51 30 95 - maisondesfemmes.net (in French)
    4 rue Darfeuille, 47300 Villeneuve sur Lot – Tel: +33 (0)5 53 40 03 62
  • Regional Psychotrauma Centre – Southern Nouvelle-Aquitaine
    Charles Perrens Hospital Centre, 119 Rue de la Béchade, 33000 Bordeaux          Monday - Friday, open 2-5pm
    Tel: +33 (0)5 56 56 35 78 - crpsychotraumato%40ch-perrens.fr
  • CIDFF – Gironde Information Centre on women’s and family rights
    Discussion groups for female victims and psychological support in Bordeaux and Libourne
    Tel: +33 (0)5 56 44 30 30 - gironde.cidff.info

Find out more

Sexual violence: what is it?

Sexual violence covers situations in which a person imposes one or more acts, one or more comments (oral or written) of a sexual nature on another person. These acts are unwanted by the victim and are an expression of the perpetrator's desire to gain power over the victim.

This violence violates the fundamental rights of the person, in particular his/her physical and psychological integrity. It is prohibited by law and punishable by law.

Sexual violence takes many forms: sexual assault, rape, voyeurism, sexual harassment, etc.
The consequences are substantial, numerous and long-lasting: anxiety, sleep and/or eating disorders, intense fears, guilt, depression, isolation, risky or aggressive behaviour, etc.
The acts can have an impact on your health but also on your social, family or professional life.

The symptoms/signs are specific to each victim and vary over time. They justify seeking help and not becoming isolated.

What does the law say?

  • Rape
    Definition: any act of sexual penetration, or any oral-genital act of any kind whatsoever, committed on someone else or on the person of the perpetrator by violence, coercion, threat or surprise is rape.
    Article 222-23 to 222-26 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 15 years criminal imprisonment (20 years in the event of aggravating circumstances and 30 years if the act has led to the death of the victim).
  • Sexual assault
    Definition: a non-penetrative sexual act committed with violence, coercion, threat or surprise.
    Sexual assault is an offence.
    Articles 222-22 and 222-28 to 222-31 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 5 years imprisonment and a 75000€ fine (from 7 to 10 years imprisonment and from a fine of 100000€ to 150000€ in the event of aggravating circumstances).
  • Sexual exhibition
    Definition: imposing sexual exhibition on a non-consenting person in a place accessible to public view. Article 222-32 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 1 year imprisonment and a 15000€ fine.
  • Voyeurism
    Definition: the act of using any means in order to see the private parts of a person that the latter, due to his or her clothing or presence in a closed place, has hidden from the view of third parties, when committed without the person's knowledge or consent. Article 226-3-1 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 1 year imprisonment and a 15000€ fine.
  • Administration of substances
    Definition: administering to a person, without their knowledge, a substance of such a nature as to alter their discernment or control of their actions in order to commit rape or sexual assault against them. Article 222-30-1 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 5 years imprisonment and a 75000€ fine.
  • Sexual harassment
    Definition: the act of repeatedly (= at least twice) imposing on a person comments or behaviour with a sexual connotation which either undermine their dignity because of their degrading or humiliating nature, or create an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation for them.
    Sexual harassment is defined as the use, even if not repeated, of any form of serious pressure with the real or apparent aim of obtaining an act of a sexual nature, whether this is sought for the benefit of the perpetrator or a third party. Article 222-33 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: 2 years imprisonment and a 45000€ fine.
  • Sexist, homophobic or transphobic insult
    Definition: an insult is a word/comment spoken or written, an expression of any kind of thought addressed to a person with the intention of hurting or offending them. Abuse is punishable by law. Insult can be private or public. It can also be racist, sexist or homophobic. The criminal penalties take these different elements into account. Public insults are subject to a specific procedure that makes it possible to punish them while preserving freedom of expression.
    Article R625-8-1 of the French Criminal Code (non-public insult); Article 33 of French Law of 29 July 1881 (public insult).
    Penalty: 1 year imprisonment and a 45000€ fine.
  • Sexist insult
    Definition: imposing on a person any comment or behaviour with sexual or sexist connotations which either violates their dignity because of its degrading or humiliating nature, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive situation against them.
    Article 621-1 of the French Criminal Code.
    Penalty: fine of 750 to 1500 euros.
  • Sexist act
    Definition: any act related to the sex of a person, the purpose or effect of which is to undermine their dignity or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. It is punishable by a disciplinary sanction as it concerns labour relations.
    Article L1142-2-1 of the French Labour Code; Article 6bis of the 1983 law.

​​​​​

Useful links

  • Stop the violence
    Government website: arretonslesviolences.gouv.fr (in French)
  • CLASCHES, Collective against sexual harassment in higher education
    Feminist student association that campaigns to make visible a reality that is too often hidden and to share tools to help victims to testify, to react and not to be victimised.
    Website: clasches.fr (in French)
  • AVFT, European Association against Violence against Women at Work
    An autonomous feminist association that defends the rights to work and to personal integrity. Its field of action and reflection is all forms of violence against women, although it has specialised in denouncing sexist and sexual violence at work.
    Website: avft.org (in French)