Support when dealing with discrimination, mobbing, stalking or sexual harassment

The mission statement of the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences strives for respectful, fair, difference-sensitive and appreciative interaction with each other, which enables the equal participation of all university members. All members of the university are obliged to counteract discrimination.

This claim is constantly challenged by phenomena in society as a whole, and thus discrimination, sexualized violence/ harassment, mobbing or stalking also occur at the Alice Salomon University of Applied Sciences Berlin. Disadvantage or degradation can occur due to different dimensions of discrimination, which can also be intertwined:

• ethnic origin, antisemitic and/or racist attributions
• appearance
• gender identity and gender ascriptions
• sexual orientation
• disability and/or chronic illness(es)
• social origin or status
• age
• language
• marital status or pregnancy
• religious or ideological orientation or political beliefs

If you have experienced discrimination, sexualized discrimination/ sexual harassment, bullying or stalking at ASH Berlin, a selection of qualified and accessible anti-discrimination counselors can support you. They offer a confidential and, if desired, anonymous initial consultation and listen to you. The initial counselors take you and your experiences seriously and can discuss further steps with you, including complaints or referral to external counseling centers. The counseling follows the following  standards:

•  the counseling is always free of charge and confidential
•  the perspectives of the person concerned are at the forefront of the counseling and are not questioned
•  the counseling can be taken up anonymously, together with a companion and using a pseudonym
• the counseling can accompany you in further desired steps

You are not sure whether you have experienced discrimination? Often, such experiences are associated with  feelings of shame, overload and hurt, and people find it difficult to talk about it. The initial counselors can support you in classifying what you have experienced and, if you wish, in identifying further contacts.

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You can contact the following support services if you feel you are being discriminated, experienced stalking or mobbing or have been sexually harassed:

You have the right to complain if you experience discrimination or sexualized discrimination and violence, bullying or stalking at Alice Salomon Hochschule Berlin. The complaint procedure and the staffing of the Complaints Office is defined in the Anti-Discrimination Statutes of ASH Berlin. The Complaints Office also functions as a complaints office according to §13 of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). It is possible to submit anonymous complaints. The complaints office will inform you about the further procedure in this case.

The Complaints Office consists of four persons: Prof. Dr. Nivedita Prasad, Friderike Kuhlmann, Kathrin Blaha and Helin Yakut. You can reach the Complaints Office at beschwerdestelle-antidiskriminierung@ash-berlin.eu

You can send your complaint in german or english.

The Complaints Office receives complaints related to discrimination or sexualized discrimination and violence, mobbing or stalking and takes over the investigation of the facts. It then informs the university management of the results of its investigation and recommends appropriate measures and sanctions to the university management.

Protection against discrimination is incorporated in German law, e.g.:

•  Since 2006, the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) has regulated the claims and legal consequences of discrimination in working life as well as in civil law in services/"mass transactions". It aims to prevent or eliminate discrimination on grounds of ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual identity.  The protection of the AGG only applies to employees of the university (working life), generally not to students - but the Berlin Higher Education Act applies the protection against discrimination to all university members, including students (§44).
• The new Berlin Higher Education Act (BerlHG) in its 2021 amendment regulates, among other things, the tasks of Berlin's higher education institutions. The non-discriminatory development of all university members and the creation of corresponding structures are regulated under § 5a. The universities are also obliged to appoint a women's* and equal opportunities representative as well as a representative for students with disabilities. Furthermore, the appointment of a diversity and anti-discrimination officer is new in 2021.
•  The Landesgleichstellungsgesetz Berlin (LGG) 2002 obliges all institutions of the state of Berlin, such as the state universities (including ASH Berlin) to ensure gender equality and the active promotion of women*. §12 defines sexual harassment in the workplace as discrimination and a breach of official duty and obliges employees with supervisory and management functions to investigate cases that have come to their attention.
• The Berlin State Anti-Discrimination Act (LADG) was only introduced in 2020. It aims to protect people from official discrimination on the basis of racial attribution, ethnic origin, gender, religion and belief, disability, chronic illness, age, language, sexual and gender identity and social status. There is an ombudsman's office of the LADG that can be contacted if advice is needed.

 Other areas of law may also be relevant in connection with discrimination, in particular labour law (e.g. concerning sanctions against employees) and criminal law (e.g. concerning sexualised violence).

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In February 2020, ASH Berlin issued a  anti-discrimination statute for protection against discrimination, sexualised discrimination and violence, bullying and stalking at ASH Berlin, which were revised after the trial phase and republished on 25 May 2021.

It provides the university with a comprehensive structure for the prevention of discrimination as well as counselling and complaint management in cases of discrimination. However, these structures still need to be built up gradually. The relevant information will be continuously updated on this website. Until then, we ask for your patience and for you to use the support services listed above.

The aim of the anti-discrimination statute is to prevent discrimination, in particular on the grounds of ethnic origin, racial ascription, appearance, gender identity and gender ascription, sexual orientation, disability, chronic illness, social origin or status, age, language, family status, pregnancy, and/or religious and/or ideological orientation or political opinion within university life (provided the religious and/or ideological orientation or political opinion is not based on discrimination against others).

The statutes apply and extend current legal prohibitions of discrimination and protection at ASH Berlin. It provides ASH Berlin with a comprehensive structure for the prevention of discrimination as well as counselling and complaint management in cases of discrimination.

Every person has many identities and is thus positioned at the intersection of different possible forms of discrimination. For example, sexist slogans can also have racist connotations. Therefore, we must try to take into account the interplay of multidimensional forms of discrimination (intersectional approach).