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Information on sexualized discrimination and violence

All of the university’s members, affiliates, and visitors should have their personal rights respected at TH Köln. You can help to promote a university culture where every individual is valued.

What is sexualized discrimination and violence?

At TH Köln, sexualized discrimination and violence means a (personally perceived) transgression of boundaries which violates the dignity of the person affected. Sexuality or sexual behavior may be instrumentalized to demonstrate power and superiority, for example. Sexualized discrimination and violence are strictly prohibited at TH Köln and are taken very seriously.

+ What constitutes sexualized discrimination and violence?

+ What to do if you have been harassed or affected in another way

You can contact the counseling services of TH Köln for an informal, confidential chat. They will give you more detailed information on how TH Köln can support you. After your chat, you can decide whether and to what extent you want to take further action. It is entirely your decision. The counseling services at TH Köln are under no obligation to take further steps.

If the incident occurred outside TH Köln or you would like to contact an independent agency, these external services may be an option for you:

Counseling and support services

Anonymous evidence collection after a sexual offense

In general, and especially at a place of work and study like TH Köln, people affected by sexualized discrimination and violence can be unsure about whether they have understood a situation correctly. Chatting with a person who is not directly involved can help you become more certain about your own perception and to appraise the situation fully. In some cases, it can be helpful to make it clear to the perpetrator, either verbally or in writing, that you feel you have been a victim of sexual discrimination or harassment. However, there are also many reasons to avoid confronting the perpetrator yourself. The counseling services can clarify how a confrontation could take place and who could do it. You may also find it helpful to write the situation down for yourself.

As cases of sexualized discrimination and violence and the contexts in which the people affected find themselves can be very different, there is no single right approach. If you would like support, the counseling services can help you to find your own way forward.

+ What to do if you have witnessed or learned of an incident

+What to do if you think you have crossed a boundary

Counseling services

The counseling services at TH Köln are your first point of contact if you have been affected by sexualized discrimination and violence. The services offer information on the support and options available to you. You can remain fully anonymous in all of your dealings with the services.

After you have made initial contact with the counseling services, it is up to you to decide whether you want to simply tell the counseling services about the incident and gain advice, whether you want to use other services, or whether you would like to pursue the matter further formally or informally.

Complaint services

You can make a complaint after getting in touch with the first point of contact, after informal proceedings, or directly if you have been discriminated against under the General Equal Treatment Act (Allgemeines Gleichbehandlungsgesetz) or have been a victim of sexual discrimination and harassment under the Regulation on dealing with sexualized discrimination and violence for Technische Hochschule Köln (Ordnung zum Umgang mit sexualisierter Diskriminierung und Gewalt an der TH Köln). You can obtain further information and advice on formal complaint procedures from the counseling services.