Help and support in harassment situations

Have you encountered harassment, bullying, discrimination, racism or other inappropriate treatment in the university community? Here's what you can do!

Send an email to TYY's harassment contact persons.

If the situation is between a student and a member of the university staff, use the university's harassment report form.


What do TYY's harassment contact persons do?

TYY has two harassment contact persons who advise and support students who have encountered harassment, bullying, discrimination, racism or other unequal treatment. The harassment contact persons can be contacted even if you are unsure of the situation or would just like to discuss possible ways to intervene in harassment.  If necessary, the harassment contact person will direct you to additional help. In cases that meet the criteria of a criminal offence, the harassment contact person can provide support in finding the right person to take the matter forward.

The harassment contact persons operate on the student's terms. They won't take any further action or contact anyone without consent. All conversations with the harassment contact persons are completely confidential. If the person that has encountered harassment so wishes, the harassment contact person can contact the alleged culprit and ask them about the situation. The one accused of harassment always has the right to be heard.

It is not the duty of the harassment contact person to punish the person accused of harassment. The contact person merely supports and advises students who have encountered harassment and can give thoughts on how to proceed in the matter.

Every harassment case is different, but typically the process is as follows:

  1. TYY's harassment contact persons receive a harassment report form, email or phone call.
  2. The harassment contact persons hear what the harassed person has to say and ask how they want to proceed. It is not mandatory to take further action. You can also just talk to the harassment contact persons without taking the matter any further.
  3. If the complainant so wishes, the harassment contact persons will get in touch with the one accused of harassment. The one accused of harassment always has the right to be heard, and the harassment contact persons will often invite them to a face-to-face meeting. In the meeting, the contact persons will hear the other party's views on what has happened and discuss the situation.
  4. In most cases, the best way to handle the situation is a joint discussion where TYY's harassment contact persons act as moderators and ensure the equality and safety of the conversation. If both parties are willing to meet one another, the harassment contact persons will suggest a meeting.
  5. All parties will be offered the opportunity for a debriefing later on to address any questions that remain after the meetings.
  6. If the other party in the case is a member of the university staff, the harassment contact persons will request permission to involve a representative of the university in the process.

TYY's harassment contact persons:

Specialist in International Affairs, harassment contact person
Vilma Virtanen
tyy-internationalspecialist@utu.fi
tel. +358 44 796 1063

Specialist in Social Affairs, harassment contact person
Ville Ritola
tyy-sopoasiantuntija@utu.fi
tel. +358 44 796 1078