Unicamp defined, through resolution, rules and procedures for the prevention and reception of complaints of violence based on gender and sex at the University. The document details a set of definitions and guides for dealing with cases of violence and provides education, awareness and dissemination of institutional values of equity, inclusion and respect. The measure was signed by the rector of Unicamp, Marcelo Knobel, this Friday, August 7th, the date on which the Maria da Penha Law turns 14 years old.
“The definitions are the result of internal discussions, studies on legislation and the way in which national and international agencies deal with the issue. The resolution also signals to the community ways of acting that are acceptable and unacceptable in terms of behavior”, explains professor Ana Maria Fonseca Almeida, who chairs the Advisory Committee for the Policy to Combat Discrimination Based on Gender and/or Sexuality and Violence Sexual, body linked to the Executive Directorate of Human Rights (DeDH) at Unicamp.
Furthermore, the document systematizes the flows relating to the bodies involved in welcoming the victim and progressing the complaint. “There is an option to establish a centralized complaints reception procedure, in accordance with the national and international discussion on adequacy, removing the responsibility for dealing with cases from the units and bringing it to the central administration to ensure greater objectivity and protection in the treatment of complaints. people involved”, says Ana Maria.
Furthermore, according to the executive director of DeDH, professor Néri Barros de Almeida, the measure fulfills one of Unicamp's concerns regarding the human rights agenda. “The document shows that the university’s interest in advancing the defense of people’s right to respect and dignity has its counterpart in concrete decisions that cover education, reception and standardization. It is also an important text in that it helps inform what is expected from a community of knowledge when it comes to the practice of human rights”, she assesses.
What to do in case of violence
As established in the resolution, the Sexual Violence Attention Service (SAVS) is the body responsible for guidance and support in relation to the victim's physical and mental health. Therefore, every member of the university who suffers, receives or witnesses sexual violence must contact SAVS or inform the complainant about the existence of the service.
If you witness an act of violence in which the victim's physical integrity is at risk, you must contact the emergency service of the Secretariat for Campus Experience (SVC). In the case of rape, the SVC must also be contacted, which will initiate appropriate care or take the victim directly to the CAISM Special Care Outpatient Clinic or the Emergency Department of the Hospital de Clínicas. These bodies must inform SAVS about what happened to monitor the cases.
All processes will be confidential and the University will take measures to protect the complainant from retaliation. Depending on the case, the complainant will also be advised to contact the police authority.
More details about the procedures can be found in the resolution (click to access).
Anniversary of the Maria da Penha Law
Regarding the choice of date for the resolution, professor Ana Maria comments that it stems from the importance of the Maria da Penha Law, which she considers to be a fundamental milestone for Brazilian society. Sanctioned in 2006, the legislation typified and created mechanisms for punishing and combating crimes of domestic violence and against women. “The Maria da Penha Law is a very important milestone for Brazilian society, signaling that violence against women is not tolerated and our resolution states that our university does not accept living with sexual and gender-based violence. It is a milestone in our history because it defines concrete bases on which we will deal with these issues,” she notes.
