Harassment in Sapienza, accusations from the questionnaire among female students: cases also during exams

130 students at “La Sapienza” University were victims of abuse. This was revealed by a survey organized by the Sinistra Universitaria association and aimed at students of the Roman University. “It involves physical, verbal and digital violence,” say the promoters. Fan page. One of the episodes, among the many collected and made public by Republic, a student said: “I know a teacher committed violence against a girl but she didn’t file a complaint. During an exam, she was crying because of the result and he put his hand on her leg and told her that everything was fine and that if she wanted, they could talk about it in his office. This is a very serious thing.” The results of the questionnaire also estimate that 29.6 percent of people do not feel safe inside the university. A few days ago, rector Antonella Polimeni was heard by the parliamentary commission of inquiry into femicide and reported data from the trusted advisor: thirteen reports of sexual harassment and abuse of power collected by the University in 2023.

Tales

In the students' stories there is the case of a professor of analytical and relativistic mechanics who “masturbated – they say – during a remote oral exam and still teaches the same subject and takes oral exams “. And also that of a Latin teacher who “had insulted a student before the exam” by telling her “to keep quiet and that it would bring bad luck to her progress”. The same teacher then asked the candidate to translate the sentence: “I am supported by my husband because I do not work” in which discrimination was hidden. Then, he forced the student to lower his mask so that, the student explained, “I could show him my smile for the grade.” Finally, many episodes are characterized by sexual discrimination against trans students and abuse of power by teachers. All characterized, reports the report, by “a great feeling of fear”.

Cover photo: ANSA/FABIO FRUSTACI | The Faculty of Letters of the “La Sapienza” University of Rome

Read also: