{"id":109719,"date":"2020-02-21T20:45:25","date_gmt":"2020-02-21T19:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=109719"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:24:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:24:43","slug":"panel-debate-on-social-safety-one-third-of-the-audience-knows-someone-with-a-metoo-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2020\/02\/21\/panel-debate-on-social-safety-one-third-of-the-audience-knows-someone-with-a-metoo-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"Panel conversation on social safety: one third of the audience knows someone with a #metoo experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

Based on four sketches, Chief Diversity Officer Semiha Denkta\u015f led a panel conversation on social safety at the Erasmus Pavilion on Thursday. \u201cAn open conversation: that\u2019s what we need at the university.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMilena Chopova<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

From the turnout at the \u2018Conversation on Social Safety\u2019 event at the Erasmus Pavilion, it was clear that social safety is a hot topic at EUR. Over two thirds of the chairs in the Pavilion\u2019s theatre hall were occupied. The audience included confidential counsellors coordinator Martin Blok<\/a>\u00a0and ombudsperson\u00a0Edith Weijnen<\/a>. The panel on stage consisted of rector magnificus Rutger Engels<\/a>, HR director Lieke Skidmore, University Council chair Hans van den Berg and Merel Dap<\/a>\u00a0from Erasmus School of Colour.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe university believes it is very important to have an open conversation about this issue and create a safe atmosphere,\u201d announced Manager Gwen de Bruin from the Diversity & Inclusion Office. \u201cWe don\u2019t just want to concern ourselves with policy, we also want to offer people the opportunity to present their views and share their experiences.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recognisable<\/h2>

Moderator Semiha Denkta\u015f kept up a brisk pace, almost immediately setting the actors from the Dutch Actors Society to work. They performed scenes which illustrated various examples of lack of social safety. In the first scene, we listened in on two employees gossiping about colleagues, whilst the second sketch focused on discriminatory statements made against minorities. There was also a scene about a professor who inadvertently went viral after his students decided that he was being racist. The final sketch, which evoked the most intense response from the audience, was about a PhD student who had to deal with transgressive behaviour by her supervisor.<\/p>\n

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The audience was unanimous: these examples were very recognisable: \u201cTake the second sketch,\u201d said panel member Merel Dap from Erasmus School of Colour. The scene showed someone making offensive statements to the only person of colour in the room. \u201cIf I was that person, I\u2019d keep quiet too. If you\u2019re a person of colour, you spend your life resisting this kind of treatment. You don\u2019t want to come across as the person who\u2019s always complaining,\u201d she continued. \u201cWhat was even more painful to watch was that nobody in that scene actually said anything about that behaviour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Far from exaggerated<\/h2>

More about social safety<\/h2>