{"id":150037,"date":"2023-02-09T12:44:45","date_gmt":"2023-02-09T11:44:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=150037"},"modified":"2026-02-10T17:13:39","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T16:13:39","slug":"more-complaints-sexual-transgressive-behaviour-mistakes-should-be-possible-thats-how-you-learn-your-boundaries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2023\/02\/09\/more-complaints-sexual-transgressive-behaviour-mistakes-should-be-possible-thats-how-you-learn-your-boundaries\/","title":{"rendered":"More complaints about sexual transgressive behaviour: ‘Mistakes should be possible, that\u2019s how you learn your boundaries’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Committee Undesirable Behaviour is receiving an increasing number of complaints, mainly regarding sexual transgressive behaviour. Students who have submitted a complaint sometimes express criticism about the lengthy procedure, the language barrier and the questions they get. Committee members respond: \u201cScrupulousness and speed are not compatible.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The number of complaints about inappropriate conduct is rising, according to Willeke Bezemer and Erik van den Emster of the Committee Undesirable Behaviour. They handled ten complaints last year, and nine in 2021. Prior to that, there were only a few cases per year. These complaints typically concern sexual harassment between students.<\/p>\n\t

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Erik van den Emster<\/strong> is a lawyer and studied law at Erasmus University. He previously served as a criminal judge and chairman of the Council for the Judiciary. He has chaired the Committee Undesirable Behaviour since 2020.<\/p>\n

Willeke Bezemer<\/strong> is a sexologist and psychologist. As the founder and owner of the agency Bezemer & Schubad, she has been involved in advice, research and training on inappropriate conduct since the 1990s. She has served on the committee for over ten years.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n

With regard to the increase in the number of complaints, Bezemer explains that public attention for the #metoo movement and sexual misconduct has had a big impact. Since the 1990s, she has been involved in research, advice and training on inappropriate conduct through her agency Bezemer & Schubad. \u201cThere is currently a huge push to raise awareness. And to my great delight, the focus is not only on incidents, but increasingly on how organisations can prevent inappropriate conduct.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complaints from students and staff about inappropriate conduct are sent to the Committee Undesirable Behaviour. These complaints can concern all kinds of undesirable behaviour, from discrimination to bullying and aggression, but most are about sexual misconduct.<\/p>\n

Black-and-white approach<\/h2>

The committee hears the complainant and the accused, and often witnesses as well, and advises the Executive Board on a decision and possible measures. Van den Emster: \u201cIn criminal law, it\u2019s all about evidence. You can say with a slightly lesser degree of plausibility, with serious suspicion: that is indeed what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

Complaints are rarely declared founded. Between 2016 and 2021, this happened once \u201cThere is often a grey area\u201d, he explains. \u201cThe complainant and the accused can have a completely different story, especially when it relates to an erotic, emotional situation in which no one else was around. Unfortunately, you sometimes have to decide that something has not been sufficiently proven.\u201d<\/p>\n

This does not mean that a complainant is not believed by the committee, he says. \u201cAs the accused, you\u2019re left in the lurch when the committee says: we will not issue a ruling on this. We have to take a bit of a black-and-white approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sexologist Bezemer emphasises that it\u2019s normal for things to occasionally go wrong in students\u2019 sexual relationships. This is part of their stage of life. \u201cNo one builds a sexual repertoire harmoniously and without mistakes. That can be very painful, but it\u2019s not always a perpetrator-victim story. We have to take a careful look at how serious the transgressions are. People should be able to make the \u2018normal\u2019 mistakes, after all: that\u2019s how you learn your boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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