Sexual Harassment Policy Implementation at St Louis College of Education

Ferdinand | EducationGhana | December 26 | Sexual Harassment Policy Implementation at St Louis College of Education

Purpose/Objectives:

The College abhors all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation, and intimidation. Any form of intimidation, abuse, or harassment based on gender is contrary to the values of the College and jeopardizes the integrity of the College community.

For this reason, all staff, students, relatives of staff, visitors, contractors, and persons acting on behalf of the College shall respect the rights of others and shall refrain from any activity that corresponds with those described in this policy document.

The College takes a serious exception to sexual harassment and such behavior shall result in disciplinary actions.

The purpose of the Sexual Harassment policy is to ensure that all members of the College community have the right to a workplace free from sexual exploitation and harassment in any form or shape.

The specific objectives of this policy include:

This may include such aims of the school as:

• to create a working and learning environment that is free from sexual
harassment and where all members are treated with courtesy, dignity and
respect
• to promote appropriate standards of conduct at all times
• to implement strategies to ensure that all members of the school community
know their rights and responsibilities in this area
• to encourage the reporting of prohibited behavior

• to provide an effective complaints procedure based on principles of natural
justice
• to treat all complaints in a serious, sensitive, fair, timely and confidential
manner

• to guarantee against victimization or reprisals
Individuals shall be held personally accountable for their actions and behaviors
in the event of complaints of sexual harassment against them. The College shall
follow the procedures outlined in this document in dealing with complaints and
appeals against decisions in connection with complaints of sexual harassment.

Scope/Application:

This policy shall apply to all members of the College community, including relatives of staff living on the College campus, visitors, contractors, and all persons acting in various capacities on behalf of the College.

 The Policy Statement:

The sexual harassment policy is committed to securing a working and learning environment that is free from sexual exploration and intimidation. Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal or written. It involves behavior that could reasonably be expected to make a person feel offended, humiliated or intimidated.

Even if the behavior is not intended by the individual to be sexually harassing, it may still be unlawful.

Sexual harassment can be physical, verbal or visual and may include statements or transmission by phone, fax, video conference, internet, and e-mail, and will vary in the degree and to the extent to which it causes affront and distress.

Both males and females can be subjected to sexual harassment from either a person of the same or opposite gender.

Sexual harassment may include:
• comments about a person’s sex life or physical appearance;
• comments of a sexual nature;
• suggestive behaviors such as leering and ogling;
• unnecessary physical intimacy such as brushing up against a person;
• physical contact such as touching or fondling;

• ‘flashing’ or sexual gestures;
• sexual propositions or repeated unwanted requests for dates;
• making promises or threats in return for sexual favours;
• sexual jokes, offensive telephone calls, displays of offensive photographs,
reading matter or objects;

• sending jokes or graphics of a sexual nature by e-mail, internet or fax;
• unwelcome questioning about a person’s private life;
• offensive computer screen savers;
• unwanted requests for sex; and
• stalking, indecent assault or rape (which are also criminal offenses).

Sexual harassment is not behavior that is based on mutual attraction, friendship
and respect.

Where the interaction is consensual, welcome, and reciprocal it will not amount to sexual harassment. However, judgments about what constitutes consensual, welcome and reciprocal interaction may be influenced by the relative power of the people involved.

The capacity of persons in positions of authority to influence others and affect their well-being is a factor that will be taken into account in the management of any sexual harassment allegation.

It is not the intention of this policy to interfere in personal lives and relationships.
However, an employer has an obligation to ensure that sexual harassment does
not occur and that professional standards of conduct are maintained in the
workplace.

The effect of sexual harassment on those people involved and on the workplace
as a whole can range from annoyance to deep distress and can lead to an
intimidating, hostile and offensive work environment.

This can contribute to reduced quality of work, low productivity, distraction from work, low morale, absenteeism, poor health and high staff turnover. Sexual harassment can deny
their entitlement to the quiet enjoyment of life in the workplace

Supporting Procedures:

Any student, employee or member of the College community who perceives herself/himself to have been sexually harassed or to have been subjected to retaliation following a sexual harassment incident, must do the following inorder to protect his/her rights.

Actions for employees including relatives of staff living on the College campus,
visitors, contractors and all persons acting in various capacities on behalf
of the College

If you believe you are a target of sexual harassment, you should report
such incidents. You may report this information verbally or in writing to your
immediate head of the department or principal. When reporting an incident, it is
helpful to provide as much information as possible, including the following:

1. A description of the event(s)
2. The number of occurrences, with dates and places
3. The names of any witnesses
4. Any documents or other exhibits, if appropriate

Where To Go for Help

Employees including relatives of staff living on the College campus, visitors,contractors and all persons acting in various capacities on behalf of the College may contact any of the following individuals or offices for guidance, information,or the resolution of a sexual harassment issue:

• Principal,
• Guidance and counseling co-coordinator
• Chaplains
• Head of department
• Disciplinary committee
• College legal officer

Actions for Students

If you believe that you are the target of sexual harassment or the focus of inappropriate behavior, you should report such incidents to your parents and college authorities. You may report the information verbally or in writing to the principal, dean of students’ affairs, hall warden, guidance counselor, tutor, or student representative council.

When reporting an incident, it is helpful to provide as much information as possible, including the following:

1. A description of the event(s)
2. The number of occurrences, with dates and places
3. The names of any witnesses
4. Any documents or other exhibits, if appropriate students may receive guidance, advice, support, and/or advocacy from school staff, including administrators, counselors, teachers, or other staff.

Where To Go for Help

Students may contact any of the following individuals or offices for guidance,
information, or the resolution of a sexual harassment issue:
• Principal,
• Chaplains
• Student Affairs Office,
• Dean of students’ affairs,
• Hall warden,
• Guidance counselor,
• Tutor
• Student Representative Council

 Guidelines

The following guidelines shall apply:

• the complainant shall formally request the Sexual Harassment Committee
to take further action;
• the Sexual Harassment Committee shall notify the alleged offender that the
the matter is being taken further, and that it may result in disciplinary action;
• the Sexual Harassment Committee shall, soon as possible, but not later than one week after receiving a relevant request, initiate a separate investigative meeting with the complainant and the alleged offender, together with their agents (if any) to attempt to resolve the matter unless both the complainant and the alleged offender agrees to a joint meeting is convened;

• the Sexual Harassment Committee shall, within seven days, of the close of hearing, advise the complainant and the alleged offender in writing of the outcome of the investigations, including any recommendations made or sanctions imposed.

Appeals procedure

In the event that the complainant or the alleged offender is aggrieved withthe outcome of the investigations and/or the action to be taken, he/she has aright to appeal to be exercised within seven (7) days.

The Vice-Principal shall, as soon as possible, but not later than twenty-one (21) working days, review the case and render a decision. In reviewing the case, the Vice-Principal, as the final arbiter, shall call for such information as he/she shall deem necessary.

 Sanctions

Sanctions that may be imposed by the Sexual Harassment Committee and/or
Vice-Principal shall include, but not limited to the following:
• Caution with written apology
• Mediation/counseling
• Relocation of the offender to another Department/Section. Under no
circumstances should the complainant be relocated.
• Suspension

• Expulsion
• Referral to the appropriate law enforcement body
• Termination of employment
• Undertaking training or therapy

6. Responsibility for Implementation:
Sexual Harassment Committee

7. Responsibility for Monitoring, Implementation and Compliance:
Disciplinary Committee
Vice-Principal

8. Status:

• Revisions approved by Governing Council, 11 November 2015.
• Minutes of the last meeting revised on 15th November 2015
• The implementation of the latest version of this policy supersedes all
previous versions of this policy.

9. Key Stakeholders:
• Students
• Staff
• Relatives of Staff
• Visitors to the College
• College Contractors
• All persons working on behalf of the College

10. Approval Body:
College Governing Council

11. Initiating Body:
Disciplinary Committee

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