The Munin conference follows the anti-harassment policy of its host institution – UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The following is based on UiT’s general policy against sexual harassment.
Sexual harassment is incompatible with a healthy work, study and conference environment and with UiT’s core values of credibility, academic freedom, closeness, creativity and commitment. Harassment is a form of abuse of power that simply cannot and will not be tolerated.
What is sexual harassment?
“Sexual harassment means unwanted conduct of a sexual nature, or other conduct based on sex affecting the dignity of women and men at work. This can include unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct. The essential characteristic of sexual harassment is that it is unwanted by the recipient, that it is for each individual to determine what behavior is acceptable to them and what they regard as offensive”. (Commission of the European Communities, 92/131/EEC)
It is how sexual harassment is subjectively experienced that decides how it affects the life situation of the person involved. Casual remarks, a darting look and slight physical contact are not sexual harassment unless they are perceived as such. It depends on the person and the circumstances. As the social setting and cultural environment are often of great significance, it is important to be especially careful in multicultural situations where people with different ethnic backgrounds work or study together. Sexual harassment occurs when a person uses his or her power to achieve advantages or suppress others.
How to report
You may report by e-mail, by telephone or in person. These are the officials at UiT who are in charge of handling sexual harassment cases:
Gøril Heitmann, Deputy University Director,
tel. (office): +47 77 64 49 98,
e-mail: goril.heitmann@uit.no
Svein Are Edøy, Legal Adviser at the University Director’s Office,
tel. (office): +47 77 64 66 26,
e-mail: svein.are.edoy@uit.no
You may also report to the representatives from the Munin conference organizing committee:
Aysa Ekanger, University Library
tel. (office): +47 77 64 41 40,
e-mail: aysa.ekanger@uit.no
Jan Erik Frantsvåg, University Library
tel. (office): +47 77 64 49 50,
e-mail: jan.e.frantsvag@uit.no
How reports of sexual harassment are handled
Reports of sexual harassment are handled in accordance with rules of non-disclosure of confidential information. He/she who reports harassment may ask that the report should be treated confidentially and that no actions should be taken without the consent of the person who has reported the matter. When cases of harassment are handled, they are stored with a high degree of protection to secure that access is only given to the staff involved in the particular case. If the person who reports harassment requires anonymity and does not want his/her identity to be revealed to the person the report is about, UiT will respect this as far as possible.