Unacceptable behaviour

This page provides information on what to do if you have been subjected to unacceptable behaviour.

Confidential Counsellor for Unacceptable Behaviour

If you have been subjected to (sexual) intimidation, bullying, aggression, violence or discrimination, you can contact the Confidential Counsellors for Unacceptable Behaviour. They have a fully independent position and everything you discuss will be treated with the utmost confidence.

What can the confidential counsellor do for you?

The confidential counsellor is there to:

listen to your complaint, give advice and offer support.
provide information on ways in which you might resolve the problem and how you can submit a formal complaint.
provide guidance if you would like mediation to take place or want to submit a complaint to the complaints committee.
ensure that you receive adequate follow-up support.

Complaints Committee for Unacceptable Behaviour

Formal complaints about unacceptable behaviour can be submitted to the Complaints Committee for Unacceptable Behaviour. This can result in disciplinary measures being taken. The confidential counsellor can provide you with further information about the committee and assist you in submitting a complaint to them. Your complaint will always be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Complaints regulation

You can find more information about procedures concerning unacceptable behaviour in the Leiden University Regulations on Complaints Relating to Unacceptable Behaviour: (sexual) harassment, bullying, aggression, violence and discrimination.

Advisory Team for Concerning or Threatening Behaviour

Have you been subjected to concerning or threatening behaviour by a fellow student, for example, stalking, sexual harassment or threats? Are you worried that a fellow student might pose a danger to other students or staff? Or do you have concerns about abusive behaviour in the home or suspect that a fellow student may be a victim of domestic abuse? For issues of this nature you can turn to the Advisory Team for Concerning or Threatening Behaviour.

Sexual harassment

What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is any form of sexual behaviour that is perceived as unwanted or coerced by the person experiencing it. It is also known as sexually transgressive behaviour or sexual violence.

Examples of sexual harassment include:

Physical contact that is against your will, such as unwanted touching, sexual assault or rape.
Intimidating or transgressive comments or (online) messages.
Spreading sexually explicit images or messages without consent, or threatening to do so.

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Finding the right help

If you have been subjected to sexual harassment, you may experience feelings of shame and other unpleasant thoughts and emotions. It's perfectly normal to find it difficult to talk about your experiences and seek help, but it is very important that you do so.

Did it just happen and are you in danger or in need of medical care? Call 112

Sexual Assault Center

If you have experienced sexual harassment, you can always turn to the Sexual Assault Center. Here, professional counsellors are available 24/7 to listen to you and provide the care you need. They work closely with doctors, psychologists and the police and can put you in touch with the right sources of help. But only if this is what you want.

The sooner the better – but it’s never too late

We recommend that you contact the Sexual Assault Center as soon as possible. This is important for your psychological recovery and also, in cases of sexual violence, to help prevent pregnancy, treat possible venereal diseases and secure evidence.

It is never too late to seek help. Even if the experience took place some time ago, you can still contact the Sexual Assault Center.

Insurance coverage

Not all insurance policies cover specialist care such as psychologist appointments. Check in advance what is included in your policy and if required, take out additional coverage. Visit the insurance page for further information.

Report it to the police

In many cases, sexual harassment is punishable by law. You can therefore choose to contact the police, even if the experience took place some time ago.

When you contact the police, you will be put in touch with a staff member who is specially trained in this area. They will explain what to expect if you choose to report a crime, so you won’t encounter any surprises later. It’s then up to you if you want to file a report.

Peer support

Want to share your story and find support among people who have had similar experiences? Slachtofferhulp Nederland (Victim Support Netherlands) offers live and online peer support groups, as well as a closed (anonymous) online community in which you can share your experiences. The website is in Dutch but you can translate it with the Google Translate tool.

Study-related problems

Have you experienced sexual harassment and has this had a negative impact on your studies? Contact your Study adviser or coordinator to discuss the progress of your studies. Or make an appointment with a student psychologist.

Sexual harassment by a fellow student, lecturer or other staff member

Have you been sexually harassed by a fellow student, lecturer or other university staff member? You can talk to the Confidential Counsellor for Unacceptable Behaviour. They can offer advice and support, and discuss ways in which you could solve the problem or make an official complaint. The confidential counsellor can also refer you to right sources of care.

Concerned about the behaviour of a fellow student?

Are you concerned that a fellow student is exhibiting sexually transgressive behaviour, for example towards a fellow student? Contact the Advisory team for concerning or threatening behaviour.

Consent

Clear communication can help to prevent sexual harassment. Always explicitly ask for consent (permission). That way you can be sure that the other party agrees. Consent can also be withdrawn at any time, even if you have already started. Read more about consent in this flyer and on the website of Our Bodies Our Voice, a foundation that works to prevent sexual harassment.

With the Consent is key campaign, Leiden University wants to contribute towards greater awareness of the topic of consent and issues of sexual harassment.

Want to get in touch with the organisers of the campaign? Send an email to studentwellbeing@sea.leidenuniv.nl.

Free training for your association

Would your study or student association like to learn more about consent, bystander intervention and a safe culture? Student organisations affiliated with the university can take part in free training courses for board members and other key figures.

Amnesty ‘Let’s talk about yes’ manifesto

On 10 March 2022, Rector Magnificus Hester Bijl signed the Amnesty International 'Let's talk about YES' manifesto against sexual violence. The University has therefore pledged its commitment to preventing sexual violence.

After signing the Amnesty manifesto, the University launched an action plan on tackling sexual harassment. This focuses on prevention, better information, better support for students who have experienced sexual harassment and cooperation within the region and the University. The Consent is Key campaign is part of this action plan.

Social safety during internships

Archaeological internships are a key part of our training programme and professional experience for both our students and staff. They enable students to understand and apply essential and diverse archaeological methodologies, whilst also fostering lasting friendships and creating memories that will last a lifetime. As such, it is crucial to ensure that internships take place in an inclusive, safe and secure environment for everyone. The Fieldwork Code of Conduct has been drawn up for fieldwork organised by the faculty. This document sets out a code of conduct governing behaviour amongst all those involved in archaeological fieldwork organised by the FdA. It is intended to provide a framework and guidelines for a proper, safe and stimulating fieldwork environment within the FdA, where all those involved treat one another with respect and where trust and mutual acceptance are core values.

Despite careful preparations, agreements and the Code of Conduct, situations may still arise that you have experienced as unpleasant or unsafe. These may also occur during internships that are not organised by the faculty.

Socially uncomfortable or unsafe situations can take many different forms. It is important to note that any situation is worth reporting if it made you feel uncomfortable. You can also report a situation after your internship; there is no expiration date.

If you find yourself in an acute, unsafe situation and need immediate help, please contact Leiden University’s emergency number.

You can always contact the Study Advisers to discuss your experiences during an internship. The Study Advisers are there to listen and can advise you on any next steps. You can also use the reporting form provided below.

Reporting form

You can use the form below to report an unpleasant or unsafe situation during your internship. The form distinguishes between issuing a signal, making a report and filing a complaint. The table at the bottom provides a brief overview. Please read through the different options carefully so that you are fully aware of the various options.

	Informal/formal?	Action required?	Disciplinary actions?
Signal	Informal	No	No
Report	Formal	Yes	No
Complaint	Formal and legal	Yes	Possible

Signal

A signal is an initial, informal step to share your concerns about a possible wrongdoing, without immediately initiating a formal process. The aim of a signal is to draw attention to a problem or situation. When you issue a signal, you are reporting that something has happened that was unpleasant or unsafe, but you do not expect any further action to be taken. You can also issue a signal anonymously – in which case, simply leave the email address field blank.

Please note that in some cases, the signal is so serious that we, as a university, are obliged to carry out further investigation as part of our duty of care, for example in the case of sexual violence.

Report

A report is a deliberate, formal action in which you indicate that a specific problem, incident or abuse has taken place during a work placement, and you specify exactly what went wrong and with whom the situation was unpleasant or unsafe. The purpose of a report is to ensure that action is taken.

Reports are filed, and if one or more reports are made about a person or a project situation, a conversation will take place with the person alleged to be causing the problem, the other side of the story will be heard, and concerns will be addressed. The aim here is to raise awareness of one’s own behaviour, to recognise any consequences of that behaviour, and to address the issue, together with the line manager (staff member) or Study Adviser (student). No further action is possible following a report.

In order for us to process your report, the Study Advisers need to be able to contact you. That is why the email address field is mandatory, although this may be an anonymous or non-traceable email address. In any case, no action will be taken without further consultation with you.

Complaint

A complaint is a formal and legal procedure in which you explicitly request an investigation, assessment and possible sanctions or measures in response to an unsafe situation. In the event of a complaint, both sides will be heard, and anonymity is therefore not possible. For this reason, both the email address and name fields are mandatory. Disciplinary measures may follow as a result of a complaint.

Once your complaint has been received, the Study Advisers will contact you to discuss the next steps.

What happens next?

The completed forms are forwarded to the Study Advisers. They discuss the concerns, reports and complaints received with the Faculty’s (Social) Safety Team. This consultation takes place monthly and involves the Study Advisers, the Head of Education and Student Affairs, the Head of HR and the Executive Director. Only those attending the (Social) Safety Team meeting have access to the completed forms. The forms are destroyed once the concern, report or complaint has been resolved.

If you would like to further discuss a difficult situation that has arisen during your internship, there are various people you can turn to. You can find them here: Where can I turn for help? – Leiden University

Signal, report, complaint

You can use the form below to report an unpleasant or unsafe situation during your internship.

To the form