Forty student leaders and staff members from eight universities in Hong Kong participated in the “Play Smart” Joint-University Interactive Workshop on Addressing Sexual Harassment on Campus organised by the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) today (5 August 2024). Through interactive activities, including lectures, interviews, case sharing, group discussions, and role-playing activities, student leaders who organise student activities, dormitory tutors and staff supporting student activities learnt about the provisions under the Sex Discrimination Ordinance (SDO) that protect students and staff from sexual harassment, and explored effective measures and techniques to prevent the unlawful act on campus. The EOC hopes that the workshop can further raise awareness of sexual harassment prevention among university students and staff members, as the universities roll out the orientation activities.

Addressing the participants, Ms Linda LAM Mei-sau, Chairperson of the EOC said, “As the statutory body responsible for implementing the SDO, the EOC holds great concern about the issue of sexual harassment on university campuses. Over the years, we have maintained close contact with the tertiary institutions, mobilising and assisting them in implementing measures to prevent sexual harassment. We have also collaborated with universities to conduct large-scale research to examine students’ awareness of sexual harassment, as well as the effectiveness of the universities’ policies and measures in addressing the issue. Besides discussing related policies with the universities, the EOC provides various forms of anti-sexual harassment training for students and staff, including in-person training courses and online self-learning courses. We also organise workshops and talks for students and staff regularly to promote the message of sexual harassment prevention, with a view to helping them build equal, safe, and harassment-free campuses.”

Ms Lam continued, “In response to past media reports of alleged sexual harassment incidents on campuses, the EOC has been reaching out to the institutions through various channels every year, calling on them to require students, especially student leaders in charge of planning and executing orientation activities, to receive anti-sexual harassment training. This year, the EOC wrote to 21 tertiary institutions as early as April, expressing our willingness to collaborate with them on the training. We are pleased to see the enthusiastic response from various institutions. Upon the request of the institutions, the EOC has already conducted nearly 25 training sessions for student leaders since April this year, with a total participation of over 4 000 people. Some individual institutions have even made it mandatory for students who organise student activities to attend the training.”

Dr Ferrick CHU Chung-man, Executive Director (Operations) of the EOC explained the definition of sexual harassment under the SDO during today’s workshop. He also highlighted some myths and misconceptions about sexual harassment and introduced methods of preventing and handling sexual harassment through various cases and examples. “Today’s workshop is primarily targeted at student leaders who organise student activities and staff having frequent contact with students, such as dormitory tutors. They are more likely to witness incidents of sexual harassment or be approached by victims seeking help when organising activities or in their daily work. It is therefore important to enhance their sensitivity and awareness of sexual harassment, so that they know how to handle these incidents, such as preventing or calling a stop to the incident,” Dr Chu said. “The message we want to convey is that sexual harassment should not be taken lightly. Even jokes or ordinary activities can become unwelcome conducts that make people feel offended, insulted or intimidated if they carry sexual connotations, and would constitute unlawful sexual harassment. Therefore, students who organise or participate in activities must remain vigilant at all times.”

The university representatives who participated in the workshop today were awarded certificates by the EOC. In addition to in-person training, students and staff of tertiary institutions can access information on preventing sexual harassment through the EOC’s online training module on anti-sexual harassment. The EOC collaborated with the University Grants Committee (UGC) in 2022 to develop a set of online training module for the students and staff of its eight funded universities. Separately, the EOC produced another online training module on preventing sexual harassment on campus for students of the non-UGC-funded tertiary institutions. The EOC’s Anti-Sexual Harassment Unit also provides comprehensive information on sexual harassment through its website COMPASS.

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Equal Opportunities Commission
5 August 2024

Ms Linda LAM Mei-sau, EOC Chairperson delivers welcome remarks at the “Play Smart” Joint-University Interactive Workshop on Addressing Sexual Harassment on Campus.

Ms Linda LAM Mei-sau, Chairperson (third from left, front row) and Dr Ferrick CHU Chung-man, Executive Director (Operations) of the EOC (second from left, front row) join in a group photo with participants of the Workshop.

Student leaders and staff members from eight universities in Hong Kong participate in group discussion to explore effective measures and techniques to prevent sexual harassment on campus.