Social Safety Team for students (2024)

Inappropriate behaviour takes many forms. What you experience as inappropriate behaviour is up to you. For example, you can think of:

• Sexual violence: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours or other (non-)verbal or physical behaviour of a sexual nature.
  Read more about sexual safety.
  
• Intimidation/harassment: aform of manipulation in which someone can instil fear in another person by threatening negative consequences, for example physically, verbally or in writing. Intimidation/harassment can take place by someone in a position of power.
  
• Aggression and/or violence: incidents in which a student is psychologically or physically harassed, threatened or assaulted, under circ*mstances directly related to study.
  
• Bullying: repeated negative behaviour by fellow students or UM employees against which a person cannot (or can no longer) defend themselves. This may be verbal, non-verbal or physical behaviour.
  
• Discrimination: unequal treatment based on race, nationality, gender, religion and sexual orientation.

It may also be witnessing unwanted behaviour.

In cases of inappropriate behaviour, it is important to take action. Lingering on it for too long can lead to stress and psychological or physical complaints.

In any case, do not carry it around with you, but talk about it.

You can also contact the Social Safety Team for students if you:
- suspect inappropriate behaviour;
- witness undesirable behaviour;
- are involved in undesirable behaviour;
- if you (think you) have committed inappropriate behaviour;
- if you are being complained about.

The confidential advisor will discuss your problem with you in confidentiality. The confidential advisor will listen, advise and explore together how the problem can be solved. Under all circ*mstances your story will be kept confidential and action will only be taken if you agree. The confidential advisor can also guide you in having conversations with the person you no longer feel safe with, possibly in the presence of their supervisor. The confidential advisor is not a mediator, but a support for the student. The starting point is always your feelings, the fact that you feel intimidated in any way. The confidential advisor will always represent your interests. You can also choose to make a report on your own.

Read more about reporting undesirable behaviour here.

As a defendant you also have the right to a confidential advisor.

What does the confidential advisor not do?
The confidential advisor for students does not act as a mediator, will not intervene in court proceedings and is not out to find truth.

The ombuds officer serves as an unbiased and independent discussion partner for UM students. The ombuds officer is easily accessible and can be asked questions related to a specific study-related situation.

The following points are important. The ombuds officer:

• is independent and neutral and is not an advocate/lawyer;

• facilitates, but is not a mediator;

• works under regulations that guarantee confidentiality and secrecy;

• does not take up matters explicitly assigned elsewhere, for example a study adviser, student dean or the Board of Examiners;

• provides solicited and unsolicited advice.

The ombuds officer contributes to a socially safe study environment and can bring topics to the attention of the Executive Board and/or make recommendations to the board on patterns, larger trends and developments around social safety or other issues. In doing so, the ombuds officer contributes to increasing the organisation's learning capacity and ensuring a safe study environment.

Furthermore, the ombuds officer can conduct investigations independently and on their own initiative in response to a report. You can ask the ombuds officer to investigate the conduct of Maastricht University in a particular matter. You can do so in writing by clearly describing the request and sending it per letter or email to claire.essers@maastrichtuniversity.nl. She will inform you whether or not she has the authority to conduct an investigation or will explain why no investigation will be conducted.

Regulations for the position of ombuds officer
Statute on the position of ombuds officer

• Sexual Assault Center
• Police station Maastricht
• Huisartsenpost(GPs out of office hours)
• In case of suicidal emergency 113
• Discrimination hotline and assistance
• Talking anonymously about anything you are worried about