Film screening and discussion: ‘Female students in a minefield’ – International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

As part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, in partnership with the City of Dijon, the atheneum, cultural centre of Université Bourgogne Europe, will host the documentary ‘Etudiantes en terrain miné’ (Female Students in a Minefield), followed by a discussion with a psychologist from the Côte d’Or Centre for Information on Women’s and Family Rights (CIDFF 21), La Maison des Femmes de Talant and a UBE VSS representative. The discussion will be moderated by Clémentine Hugol-Gential, Professor of SIC, Deputy Director of the CIMEOS laboratory, UFR Languages & Communication.

If female students are five times more likely to be victims of gender-based and sexual violence than the average woman, is university a minefield?

Charlotte Espel gives a voice to five female students and PhD candidates who have been victims of harassment or rape and are fighting to ensure that violence is no longer swept under the carpet.

The figures are telling. According to the Observatory of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education, in France, one in ten female students has been the victim of sexual assault during their studies. One in twenty female students has been raped. Sixty per cent of students have been victims of or witnesses to at least one incident of gender-based or sexual violence. 45% of students have no access to any measures to combat violence or provide support within their institution.

Following the ‘Sciences Porcs’ scandal in early 2021 and recent investigations exposing the extent of rape and sexual assault at Centrale Supelec and business schools, more and more students are reporting cases of sexual harassment or assault.

What are the consequences for the human psyche? How can victims rebuild their lives? How are the public authorities responding in terms of preventing and dealing with this violence?

Through poignant testimonies, Charlotte Espel’s documentary sheds light on this little-known social tragedy and the work of the associations that are trying to break the code of silence.

More information:

Documentary screened free of charge at the atheneum on Tuesday 25 November at 6pm.

Free registration: https://www.billetweb.fr/shop.php?event=projection-tudiantes-en-terrain-mine&popup=1