How do Grenoble Ecole de Management (GEM) students experience harassment and violence on a daily basis not only at the School but also on the street, on public transport, in their homes...?
GEM created the "sexism and violence against GEM students" barometer, 3 years ago, at their request. This year, the survey was completed by more than 25% of the students at GEM (approximately 800 respondents), all training programs combined. Results, analyses and actions implemented to curb this phenomenon as much as possible.
Our harassment rate fell below the national average
According to the Pros-Consulte 2018 Barometer, 13.1% of employees in the workplace are victims of harassment, assault or incivility, while 9.8% of GEM students report having already been victims of harassment or violence in at least one of the places they regularly visit. "The environment in which our students live is closer to the professional world than to the school environment. We took into account all the signs of harassment - moral or sexual - aggression, incivility or inappropriate remarks that were reported to us in the responses," explains Séverine Le Loarne, GEM professor who created the barometer. "This means that GEM is a space that protects its students and allows them to work rather peacefully.
harassment is mainly of a sexist nature
80% of the 9.8% of students who felt harassed were women that had been subjected to remarks related to their appearance. 44% of them decided to ignore the situation. This avoidance strategy has not changed since the creation of this barometer. "We must therefore continue to raise awareness among all audiences through the FERE Chair, the WoMen@GEM movement led by the School's Management, and the Ré@gir collective led by students," continues Séverine Le Loarne. In addition to the conferences and interventions within the programs to raise awareness among students, the Women and Economic Renewal Chair (FERE) wishes to work on a "female leadership" certificate to help students put forward their ideas, speak in groups, etc. "The idea would be to counterbalance the "rooster effect" that we have highlighted in a research by the FERE Chair," says Séverine Le Loarne.
Fall in cyberbullying and return of verbal bullying
More than 50% of students who report having experienced sexual violence have experienced it in person. This is a significant change from the 2018 barometer, where cyber violence took precedence. The barometer identifies two main areas of harassment: student groups (inside and outside the school) and places where students live and move (school surroundings, place of residence, public transport, and the workspace). The classroom, faculty and administrative staff are places and sources that have been spared. "At the beginning of the year, we intervene in all programs to inform and prevent acts of harassment. These rules have also recently been added to the study regulations and the program directors systematically mention these when welcoming students during the back-to-school reception," concludes Séverine Le Loarne.
The methodology
The survey is based on research conducted using the scales for measuring sexual harassment and gender discrimination. It aims to detect signs of harassment (repeated or not) and to measure their evolution among the GEM student community, regardless of the program, geographic area and level of training. The barometer is an anonymous questionnaire (only the gender of the respondent and the program followed are indicated) sent each year in March to all GEM students. It addresses the following topics: sexual harassment, moral, online, sexism and the role of stakeholders and GEM.
Depending on its results, it makes it possible to propose solutions or awareness-raising actions. The results of the previous year, for example, demonstrated the need to raise student awareness of the actions to be taken as a future manager to not only fight harassment, but also of the ways to avoid harassment. A team of students from the School accompanied by the FERE Chair organized an anti-harassment day in April 2019. Moreover, the barometer shows that the notion of harassment is becoming less and less commonplace.
To learn more about the FERE Chair on harassment and discrimination at work
