Victoria University accused of failing multiple sexual harassment complainants

  • 06/08/2018
Victoria University of Wellington.
Victoria University of Wellington. Photo credit: Newshub

Victoria University has been slammed for its handling of sexual harassment and assault complaints after multiple serious allegations were made against a chemistry tutor.

In February, three students who worked with the tutor complained to the university he had been repeatedly touching and following them.

They say the man began by making inappropriate jokes and comments. But his behaviour soon escalated, including touching them without their consent.

"If you were sitting at the computer to analyse data, he'd walk up behind and start massaging your shoulders," one of the women told Stuff.

"He was inescapable, and if you told him to stop touching you he'd laugh, he enjoyed it. It was constant."

He then began to follow the women home, despite being asked not to.

In desperation, the women asked post-doctoral fellow Dr Nick Monahan to write the complaint on their behalf.

After the complaint was laid, the University offered them restorative justice sessions with the tutor who had been harassing them.

But after they refused, they say the university began to ignore them and wouldn't answer their emails and phone calls. Worse, their alleged harasser continued to teach - including working with groups of high school students.

"No-one told us about the decision, if there was any punishment. And then we were just expected to do nothing about it and he was still working in the same lab as us, still teaching students - nothing changed," one complainant told Stuff.

"It was like they didn't care at all."

In a statement to Stuff, Provost Professor Wendy Larner said the university took allegations of sexual harassment seriously and "formal measures" and "remedial action" have been put in place against the tutor.

"These... were designed to prevent any recurrence by the student of the behaviour at the centre of these allegations."

However the Victoria University students say this isn't good enough.

"At no point did it seem like anyone gave a shit about the students. It seemed more about covering for the university and making sure all the boxes were ticked so they could say they did something," one told Stuff.

Newshub.