Harassment contact persons
Harassment cannot always be straightforwardly identified as harassment while it is happening. Yet it is always better to intervene in situations that appear to be unpleasant to one party. Neither is harassment always directed at an individual. It can also come out as racism or sexism portrayed as jokes or part of the student culture, for example. However, racism, sexism or harassment should never be written off as mere humour. What is funny to one person might be a continuation of nasty and discriminatory experiences for another.
AYY’s harassment contact persons
You can get in touch with AYY’s harassment contact persons, who will help and advise you in resolving the situation. You can also get in touch with the harassment contact persons if you are not sure whether the situation you faced was harassment. Contacts with the harassment contact persons are confidential and will not lead to further action unless the person who made the contact so wishes.
AYY has two harassment contact persons who will support you in resolving harassment situations. You can contact the harassment contact persons if you have experienced or witnessed harassment, need help with the follow-up of resolving harassment situations or just want to talk about the inappropriate conduct you have witnessed.
If you think that the harassment situation qualifies as a criminal offense, you should contact the police.
AYY’s harassment contact persons
- Ronja Mäkinen
- Lauri Jurvanen
Both harassment contact persons can be reached collectively at [email protected] or you can fill in the form and ask us to get in touch. All communications are confidential. We will not share your name or contact details with anyone without your consent. If you wish to submit an anonymous report, please do not include your contact details.
If associations within AYY need assistance with preventing harassment and inappropriate conduct or developing work on equity, AYY’s harassment contact persons provide guidance and support.
What can AYY’s harassment contact persons do?
We can
- listen
- refer you to more suitable services if needed
- brainstorm ways to resolve these issues with you
- help you identify what counts as inappropriate conduct if you are unsure
We cannot
- take sides or represent the views of either side of a conflict
- punish anyone
- demand or analyse evidence
- tell others about the contents of our talks (without your permission)
Please note that we do not offer walk-in services at our central office. Please reach out to us via email or phone, and we can arrange a face-to-face meeting if needed.
If you contact us on behalf of another person
- We can provide advice for you to share with the person concerned, but we are not able to address the issue very thoroughly
- We will not actively reach out to the person being represented unless the person contacting us specifically requests it
Our services do not include follow-up monitoring. We do not actively contact individuals who have reached out to us, but you are always welcome to send us a new message for follow-up or simply to chat. Below, we have listed third-party resources for support.
Instructions for those who face inappropriate conduct
While inappropriate conduct is going on, the most important thing is to make it stop. Let the person behaving inappropriately know in clear terms that what they are doing is not acceptable and ask them to stop. It might even be that they do not realise they are being offensive.
If the harassment does not stop, or if you have not been able to discuss it with the harasser, you can take the matter further by seeking assistance for handling the matter.
If harassment or inappropriate conduct occurs at an event with security, you can also tell the security personnel about it.
You can also ask someone for help if intervening on your own feels difficult. As well as communicating the inappropriateness of the conduct, it is also important to support the person facing inappropriate behaviour. The more people show they are on the harassed person’s side, the clearer the message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable in the community.
If you are at an event where the association’s harassment contact person is present, inform them of what has happened. The harassment contact person’s details can often be found in the event description or on the organiser’s website. You can also ask the event organisers directly who the harassment contact persons are.
Sources of support
Miessakit - support for men who have experienced violence
Aalto Lobby Services – for safety on campus
What to do if you encounter inappropriate conduct in a teaching situation?
If you experience harassment or inappropriate conduct during teaching or in any study-related situation, you can tell the lecturer or another staff member who is present. They have a duty to intervene.
If the harassment or inappropriate conduct does not stop, or if the harasser is a member of the university staff, you can contact your school’s Head of Learning Services (e-mail addresses are [email protected]), who has a duty to take the matter further. Contact information can be found on Aalto’s website. You can contact Aalto’s harassment contact persons at [email protected].
If the issue involves an academic conflict or concerns a student’s legal protection, please contact our Advocacy Specialist, Teemu Palkki.
Would you like to provide feedback on the work of our harassment contact persons?
We strive to improve our services and take all feedback on our operations seriously. You can reach out to us directly or contact our supervisor, Sonja Naalisvaara.