Procedures for responding to gender-based and sexual harassment and gender-based and sexual violence within Vaku, the student interest association of the University of Iceland

Article 1

Objectives

Gender-based and sexual harassment, gender-based and sexual violence (hereinafter referred to as an offence) is completely prohibited by members of Vaka, the association of pro-democratic students, hereinafter referred to as Vaka, Vaka's board members, Vaka's representatives in SHÍ committees, Vaka's representatives in the Student Council of the University of Iceland ( main and alternate members), and others who work on behalf of the faction. This is not the case in the relations between these members, nor in their relations with persons who are not members of the council, as long as the relations do not take place in connection with Vaka's activities.

The aim of these procedures is to ensure the professional handling of cases that occur at the level of the company, if a party, according to paragraph 1. have been subjected to gender-based and sexual harassment, gender-based or sexual violence.

Furthermore, the aim of the rules is to inform members and representatives of Vaka about the resources available to them within the University of Iceland and the behavior that is not tolerated within Vaku.

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Article 2

Definitions and terms

The term gender-based harassment refers to behavior that is related to the gender of the person who is subjected to it, is disrespectful to the person and has the purpose or effect of offending the respect of the person and creating situations that are threatening, hostile, humiliating, humiliating or offensive. The harassment can be physical, verbal or symbolic. A single incident can be considered sexual harassment if it is serious. [1]

The term sexual harassment refers to any kind of sexual behavior that is against the victim and has the purpose or effect of offending the dignity of the person concerned, especially when the behavior leads to threatening, hostile, humiliating, humiliating or offensive situations. The behavior can be verbal, symbolic and/or physical. One case can be considered sexual harassment if it is serious.1

The term gender-based violence refers to violence based on gender that leads or could lead to physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to the victim, including the threat of such, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, both in private and public life .1

The term sexual violence refers to violations against a person's sexual freedom that are criminalized in XXII. section of the General Penal Code.1

The term member refers to all those who participate in the work of Vaka, i.e. those who work on behalf of the faction or hold offices as well as those who participate in the work in other ways.

The term representatives in the Student Council of the University of Iceland refers to those persons who are democratically elected to sit in the Student Council by the students of the University of Iceland, as representatives of Väka.

The term substitutes in the Student Council of the University of Iceland refers to those persons who have been legally approved by the Student Council of the University of Iceland as substitutes for the representatives in the Student Council of the University of Iceland who sit there as representatives of Väka.

The term Väka's representative in SHÍ's committees   refers to those persons who have been accepted as Väka's representatives in the committees of the Student Council of the University of Iceland.

The term parties to a case refers to the person who is considered to have committed an offense and the person who is considered to have been the victim of an offense.

The University of Iceland's professional council for responses to gender-based and sexual harassment and gender-based and sexual violence is a committee that operates based on the University of Iceland's procedures for responses to gender-based and sexual harassment and other sexual violence. In these rules, it is referred to as the professional council.

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Article 3

Professional Council of the University of Iceland and handling of notices.

Anyone who wants to make a report regarding an offense that the person believes has been committed by a member of Vaka, or to report an offense that the person believes they have reasoned suspicion or knowledge of, should contact Vaka's trustees.

Three trustees of the company shall be elected at the company's general meeting each year. Care should be taken that trustees are not all of the same gender.

The role of the trustees of Vaka is to handle and discuss possible violations or other conduct that has been reported to the trustees.

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4 art.

Treatment and resolution of cases

When dealing with cases, it should be taken as a guideline that the victim or the person reporting the breach to the trustees should not be harmed by the notification in any way. The trustees must act in consultation with the parties.

When dealing with cases, it should be taken as a guideline that Vaka takes a clear stance against any kind of sexual and gender-based violence, gender-based harassment or violence and that such behavior is not tolerated within the company.

Trustees must ensure professional handling of the case. Anyone who receives a notification of a possible violation must refer the matter to the professional council for professional treatment if necessary. If reported conduct is of a serious nature, so that it may concern XXII. section of the General Penal Code no. 19/1940, Vaka's trustees shall immediately refer the parties to the University of Iceland's professional council, although in consultation with the parties.

A member of Väka or another person acting on behalf of the council can also turn to the employees of SHÍ's rights office, and the matter will then also be referred to the professional council of the University of Iceland. You can also apply directly to the professional council.

If a sitting trustee within Vaku is involved in a matter that is being handled within the trustees, that party must step aside and have no involvement in the matter.

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Article 5

Introduction

The outgoing chairman, or as the case may be, the deputy chairman, is obliged to present these procedures and the procedures of the University of Iceland to the company's general meeting each time, as well as to report on the procedures at the replacement meeting of Väka's board, also if new members are admitted to official positions during the election period.

Vaka must also introduce the professional council to the company's members at the company's consultation forum and at other forums.

Article 6

Confidentiality

If the law does not prescribe otherwise, those involved in the cases are obliged to maintain confidentiality about individual cases.

In the most serious cases or when there is a reason, the trustees must inform the members that a case is being processed and that it has been referred to the professional council. This obligation may be waived at the request of the victim.

Article 7

Validity

These procedures, which are established on the basis of the procedures for responding to gender-based and sexual and gender-based and sexual violence within the University of Iceland and Article 2. of the University of Iceland regulations no. 569/2009 and taking into account the law on equal status and equal rights of women and men no. 10/2008 and regulation on actions against bullying, sexual harassment, gender-based harassment and violence at workplaces no. 1009/2015, enters into force upon confirmation of Vaku's consultation forum.

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[1]University of Iceland. Procedures for responding to gender-based and sexual harassment and gender-based and sexual violence within the University of Iceland. Revised version, approved on September 7, 2017. Retrieved on December 5, 2017 from https://www.hi.is/haskolinn/verklagsregular_um_vidbrogd_vid_kynbundinni_og_kynferdislegri_areitni_og_odru_kynferdislegu_ofbeldi
[2]University of Iceland. (2017). Expert advice on responding to gender-based and sexual harassment and gender-based and sexual violence. Retrieved December 5, 2017 by https://www.hi.is/haskolinn/nefndir_haskolarads#fagrad.