Sexual violence Support and advice
Have you or someone close to you experienced a form of sexual violence or harassment?
We are here to support YOU, and ensure that you can safely pursue your study or work at UM.
People from any background can be victims of sexual violence or harassment, no matter how you identify. Maastricht University does not tolerate any form of sexual violence and expects all its members to treat each other with respect, courtesy, and consideration.
Survivors of sexual violence deserve non-judgemental and confidential support - find a brief overview of the available resources within UM and outside of it below.
Available Support
Understanding Sexual Violence
What is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment refers to behaviours with sexual connotations that do not include sexual touching, but may include;
- making inappropriate or offensive comments about someone else’s body, appearance or sexual activities
- making sexual remarks or telling sexual jokes or sexual stories that are insulting or offensive to someone
- saying crude or gross sexual things to someone or trying to get someone to talk about sexual matters when they do not want to
- using social media to distribute offensive sexual remarks, jokes, stories, pictures or videos
o Sending to someone
o Communicating about someone - Continuing to ask someone to go out, get dinner, have drinks, or have sex even though they say “No”
What is Sexual Violence?
Sexual violence refers to:
The aggressor using force, physical or otherwise, to commit a sexual act with the victim without their consent such as:
- Non-consensual penetrative act
o commonly known as rape, refers to the insertion of a penis, digit, or an object into the vagina, anus, or mouth) - Attempted non-consensual penetrative acts (attempted rape),
- Non-consensual sexual touching
o including touching someone’s breast, chest, crotch, groin or buttocks, or kissing, groping, or rubbing against the other in a sexual way