As this newspaper has been able to learn, in all the CERCA centers – a network that integrates a total of 41 scientific institutions from different disciplines and which, in total, has more than 15,000 workers – have opened a total of 10 files for sexual harassment and 14 more for workplace harassment. These complaints have led to the sanction of six professionals, of which four have received a disciplinary dismissalanother has been sanctioned without pay for three days and one more has been reprimanded with a serious offense and “corrective measures” (although, at least in this last case, the application of the measures has been appealed and is currently pending trial) .
Penalties for bullying at the academy range from pay suspension to disciplinary dismissal
In the other cases mentioned, according to the same investigation centers, “preventive measures” were applied, such as the “minimization of contact and interactions” between defendants and victims. According to sources close to the application of these protocols, these figures (far from being a stain) are a sign that the tools to prevent harassment are beginning, little by little, to bear fruit. Even if it’s to end the impunity that until now the aggressors enjoyed.
The other great scientific institution under which a total of 21 research centers and more than 1,640 workers are brought together is the catalan delegation of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). As this newspaper has learned, there is no specific count of complaints, complaints or files open for harassment in Catalan centers.
Specialists and victims insist that 90% of cases are never officially reported
At the state level, the largest public institution in Spain dedicated to scientific and technical research affirms that In the last five years, only a total of eight files have been opened for workplace harassment in all its centers. In addition, according to the annual evaluations of the Equality Plan, in 2021 the prevention protocol against sexual or gender-based harassment was activated once. It is unknown if any of these cases affect Catalan institutions.
Anti-harassment protocols
As this newspaper has been able to verify, practically all Catalan research centers have a public protocol against bullying. In at least a third of the cases investigated, these documents are not easily accessible and do not always provide clear tools on how to file a complaint. In addition, in most cases the protocols only focus on discrimination based on gender and not on conflicts of a labor nature (although the latter, according to the studies carried out to date, tend to be much more common in academic environments). ). Currently, for example, only a minority of scientific institutes have specific protocols to prevent and act against discrimination LGBTIphobic.
In at least a third of cases, the protocols are not easily accessible and do not always offer clear tools on how to file a complaint
Several Catalan research centers They explain to this newspaper that, to date, they have not received any type of complaint for harassment or discrimination within its walls. There are others, however, who report that in the last three years, thanks to the approval of the new protocols, started to have a small trickle of complaints (although in these cases, as dictated by the data protection law, in institutions where the number of files is less than five, the center cannot be identified so as not to expose potentially affected persons). At this time there is no no Catalan scientific institute with more than three open files for sexual or workplace harassment.
Formation programs
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In the last five years, in all the CERCA centers more than 52,300 euros have been invested in different anti-harassment programs (with annual subsidies granted by the Ministry of Equality ranging from 9,781 to 14,672 euros). Most of these funds have been earmarked for training programs against gender violence in the centers, as well as information campaigns on this type of discrimination against women. There have also been at least two evaluations on the functioning of the gender units of all the research centers in Catalonia.
In the last five years, more than 52,300 euros have been invested in training programs against bullying
Everything points to the fact that in the coming years these measures will be further strengthened. According to the reform of the science law approved last year by the Council of Ministers and later ratified by the Senate, all Spanish public research centers must deploy specific plans against bullying to women and people LGBTI. In addition, as stated by the Minister of Science, Diana Morant, in an interview with EL PERIÓDICO, “from now on all research centers will have to have a approved equality plan and reviewed each year, as well as specific anti-harassment protocols.