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Göttingen: Professor sanctioned for sexual harassment!
A Göttingen professor was convicted of sexual harassment and had his salary reduced by 2,000 euros. Details about the decision.
Göttingen: Professor sanctioned for sexual harassment!
There was a ruling in Göttingen that caused a stir for many. A professor at the university was convicted by the Lüneburg Higher Administrative Court of sexual harassment of students, doctoral candidates and employees. Loud NDR The suspected professor's salary was reduced by two grades, which corresponds to around 2,000 euros per month.
The court confirmed a previous ruling by the Göttingen Administrative Court from October 2023, which is now legally binding. It is also noteworthy that despite the serious allegations, the professor is allowed to retain his civil servant status, even though the university had sought to have him dismissed from his civil service position.
Abuse of power at universities
A total of 44 individual allegations were made against the professor. In nine cases the limit of what was tolerable was violated; Sexual harassment was discovered here. It shows once again how important it is to deal sensitively with such topics at universities. The first indications of the professor's undesirable behavior were reported to the equal opportunities officer in 2012. Aren't such reports serious? This fact raises questions about how effective the protection system is for affected women in educational institutions.
In 2017, the professor was banned from conducting official business and was followed by measures such as a house ban. The university filed a disciplinary complaint in 2018 with the aim of removing him from his civil service position. This shows that there are long reflection periods in which both the rights of those affected and those of the accused must be weighed up.
Legal protection gaps
The issue of sexual harassment at universities is not new. A 2015 EU-wide study indicates that 54.7% of female students surveyed have experienced sexual harassment, and a third of these incidents occur in a university context. These results come from a study commissioned by the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency. According to the study, students in particular often have addictions that make it difficult to report attacks. The Anti-discrimination agency highlights that there are major gaps in legal protection, particularly with regard to the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG).
The regulations vary greatly from state to state, and there is often a lack of clear guidelines that protect students from sexual harassment. In addition, the protection only applies to employees and not to students, which represents a significant gap.
More measures are therefore necessary to improve protection against sexual discrimination and violence in universities. This includes preventive surveys, the introduction of transparent complaint procedures and the creation of safe spatial conditions for students.
The current case in Göttingen clearly shows that there is still a lot to do at universities to ensure a respectful and safe learning environment. While the professor is allowed to remain in his position, it remains to be hoped that the women who have been harmed will receive the support they need to defend themselves against such attacks.