RESOLUTION – Sexual Harassment within EUJS Structures

Preamble

Incidents of sexual harassment are common in all sectors of life and also in Jewish communities and organizations. EUJS is not excluded from such incidents either. As young Jews, it must be our concern to make this visible and to fight the power structures that enable this form of violence. EUJS must be a safe place for all, where those affected are taken seriously and helped.

A Gender and Harassment Policy has already been in place in EUJS since 2018. Since then, the feminist discourse aiming to provide equal opportunities for women and non-binary persons and to protect them from sexual assault has evolved. As proposers, instead of the 2018 resolution, we are proposing two new motions, one each on harassment and gender equality. These are based on the old policy but are more up-to-date and expanded. They provide more concrete measures and are based on the current state of the discourse.

 EUJS notes that:

1. Almost every woman has made the experience of sexual harassment at least once in her life.
2. Additionally, in all areas of life men are also victims of sexual harassment and violence*. 
3. Most victims struggle with speaking up about it because they fear that they will not be believed or that it could have negative consequences for them.
4. These incidents occur more frequently in contexts where alcohol is consumed.
5. Jewish Student activist’s settings are not free of the abuse of power structures and encroaching behavior.

EUJS believes that:

1. EUJS should be a space where every individual, regardless of their gender or sexual orientation, should feel safe.
2. The abuse of power has to be addressed and guidelines that prevent such abuse have to be applied.
3. Those affected by violence need to be taken seriously and have the chance to receive support in the process of speaking up.

EUJS resolves to:

1. Implement clear rules and standards* on what EUJS understands as Gender-based or sexual violence, discrimination, and harassment and ensure safe spaces during seminars and other events.
2. Implement a zero-tolerance policy for cases in which sexual violence, discrimination or harassment behavior is discovered.
3. Proactively combat those structures that enable sexual harassment within Jewish institutions and those that protect the perpetrators.
4. Call out public cases of harassment in the Jewish sphere and cut ties with affiliated parties, where appropriate.
5. Provide a safe and confidential contact point for affected persons to report incidents and reach out to EUJS should they wish.
6. Offer a support system of professional contacts for those affected so that they are not left alone and better equipped.
7. Develop a professional protocol for its larger events that will be transparently communicated. It should involve training relevant staff members, having a responsible contact person and prevention measures.

* Sexual Harassment Guidelines

Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, including unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, graphic, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when: (1) submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a condition of an individual’s employment or academic standing or is used as the basis for employment decisions or for academic evaluation, grades, or advancement (quid pro quo); or (2) such conduct is sufficiently severe, persistent, or pervasive that it interferes with or limits a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the University’s education or work programs or activities (hostile environment). Quid pro quo sexual harassment can occur whether a person resists and suffers the threatened harm, or the person submits and avoids the threatened harm. Both situations could constitute discrimination on the basis of sex. A hostile environment can be created by persistent or pervasive conduct or by a single severe episode.

The more severe the conduct, the less need there is to show a repetitive series of incidents to prove a hostile environment. Sexual violence, including rape, sexual assault, and domestic and dating violence, is a form of sexual harassment. In addition, the following conduct may violate this Policy:

• Observing, photographing, videotaping, or making other visual or auditory records of sexual activity or nudity, where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the knowledge and consent of all parties.
• Sharing visual or auditory records of sexual activity or nudity without the knowledge and consent of all recorded parties and recipient(s)
• Sexual advances, whether or not they involve physical touching.
• Commenting about or inappropriately touching an individual’s body.
• Requests for sexual favors in exchange for actual or promised job benefits, such as favorable reviews, salary increases, promotions, increased benefits, or continued employment
• Lewd or sexually suggestive comments, jokes, innuendoes, or gestures
• Stalking

Conduct is unwelcome if a person (1) did not request or invite it and (2) regarded the unrequested or uninvited conduct as undesirable or offensive. That a person welcomes some sexual contact does not necessarily mean that person welcomes other sexual contact. Similarly, that a person willingly participates in conduct on one occasion does not necessarily mean that the same conduct is welcome on a subsequent occasion.