Demonstrators at the FU Photo: Ralf Lutter
By Julian Loevenich
Now there is the first demo against the recommendation of the General Student Committee (AStA) of the FU! The panel last week advised women against calling the police in cases of sexual harassment. Instead, the security service of the university should be contacted.
“I think it’s presumptuous to advise women against notifying the police,” says Aileen Weibeler (23), a law student at the Free University and national chair of the Ring of Christian Democratic Students (RCDS). Together with the Frauen Union, he had called for a demo against the AStA madness from last week on Wednesday.
Weibeler: “The university is not a legal vacuum and the women should be taken seriously and no obstacles should be put in their way.” The accusation against the AStA: lack of sensitivity.
Daniel Pessine, RCDS chairman at the FU: “We want to show that you can and should call the police. The AStA should pay more attention to what it says.” This is particularly important for international students who may have had bad experiences with the police in their countries.
The FU had commented on the advice of the AStA on its Instagram account without naming the committee. In one sentence it says: “Members and guests of the FU should call the police emergency number if there is imminent danger or they or other people find themselves in an emergency situation.”