Community Care and Safety

Community Care and Safety Office (CCSO)

“We, at AUI, are aware that a number of organizations - including universities and colleges - around the world, and in Morocco, are facing challenges related to the prevention and management of sexual harassment and incidents of discrimination against women. AUI is committed to adopting a proactive and responsive approach to this problem, as a matter of conviction and civil and social responsibility.

We have teams of dedicated staff, faculty and students who work to raise awareness and educate the AUI community, in order to prevent incidents, to provide oversight of due-process when misconduct is reported, to deliver relevant training and capacity building programs as part of on-boarding processes for staff, faculty and students, and offer support services to those affected by such difficult experiences. We are sensitive to the impact of such experiences on wellbeing, work performance and life satisfaction. We believe that this concern and our investments in this cause are determinant in the success of our students, in the safety of our campus and residential facilities, and in the wellbeing of all AUI community members.

AUI stands firm in prohibiting any/all form of sexual harassment and discrimination against women.”

Dr. Amine Bensaid – President

Mission Statement

At the Community Care and Safety Office (CCSO), we are committed to protecting all AUI community members from all/any types of sexual misconduct and gender-based discrimination. We are concerned with policies, programs and services that support our institutional position and response towards sexual harassment, gender-based violence, as well as gender and intersectional forms of discrimination. Through a holistic perspective on well-being, along with a commitment to capacity building and best practice standards, we also work to promote wellness and safety and foster diversity, equity, and inclusion.

We advise the Office of the President, and work with the Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs (DSA), and the Chief Human Engagement and Growth Office (CHEGO) on matters related to policies and procedures. The CCSO is also the designated office, where sexual misconduct and gender-based discrimination complaints and incident reports are lodged and where we work to promote adherence to policies and procedures.

Furthermore, we work closely with the Center for Awareness, Responsiveness and Empowerment (CARE). CARE is a unit, distinct from the CCSO, which works to raise awareness about sexual misconduct and gender-based discrimination, as well as diversity and inclusion, to contribute to creating an organizational culture anchored in respect, plurality, and openness.

Our values

We believe in the right of every individual, regardless of class, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, lineage, etc., to access quality higher education; and in the freedom of all, to pursue higher education and work in academic institutions, without suffering from discrimination or sexual harassment/violence.

This includes a concern with access to equal opportunities, including upwards mobility in academic/university employment, equity in performance evaluation, access to resources, and the right to a workplace and learning environment that is free from gender bias.

In our work, we are committed to being impartial and non-judgmental, and to respecting the highest standards of confidentiality:

• Confidentiality: We handle all incident reports in a confidential manner.
• Impartiality: We do not take sides and we do not judge.
• Respect: We place emphasis on personal dignity.

We are committed to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for our students.

Community Care and Safety Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane

Who we are

Dr. Severine Minot - Sociologist
Community Care Officer and SHSS Faculty member - s.minot@aui.ma

Dr. Minot holds a Ph.D. in Sociology (York University, Canada), specializing in the social psychology of identity formation and transformation, intersectionality, and cross-cultural studies. She is a certified project manager, facilitator, equality and diversity officer, and mediator. She served as a Policy Analyst for the Government of Canada, and garnered substantive professional experience internationally, working with universities, along with criminal offenders, refugees, expatriates, development, and community organizations, etc., in Canada, the United Kingdom, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Pakistan, and now Morocco. She has worked on women’s gendered experiences, and with victims of gender and sexual violence since 2000.

Youmna Benmaymoun - Psychologist
Associate Community Care Officer - y.benmaymoun@aui.ma

Youmna holds a BA in psychology from McDaniel College, Maryland, US, and an MA in clinical psychology from Columbia University, New York, US. She is also a trained mediator at the International Mediation Campus and currently training to be a certified yoga teacher. In addition to her clinical training, Youmna has over 7 years of experience applying and honing her skills in humanitarian settings with international NGOs such as the UN International Organization for Migration, Care International, and the International Rescue Committee.

Community Care and Safety Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane Morocco

What we do

• Work to assess, develop and implement AUI’s Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Policies and Procedures;
• Process sexual harassment and gender-based discrimination incident reports;
• Monitor the progress and use of resources in the processing of sexual misconduct cases;
• Provide 1:1 wellness check-ins and support in relation to incident reports;
• Facilitate support groups;
• Facilitate referrals;
• Conduct research on best practices in other institutions of higher learning;
• Provide recommendations to upper-level administrative officers.

Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane Community Care and Safety

Organizational Sctructure

The CCSO reports directly to the president and works laterally with several units, particularly:

• CARE: Collaborate in the organization of awareness activities and prevention strategies
• Security: Information sharing, management of confidential information related to cases
• Health Center: Collaboration in handling incidents involving health concerns
• Counseling Services: Referrals and collaboration in handling incidents involving mental health concerns
• The Listening Unit: Referrals and collaboration in meeting the needs of parties involved in incidents

Policies and Procedures

Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI) is proud of its record of providing a safe campus that ensures secure and supportive learning, working, and living environments for all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. As part of this commitment, AUI does not tolerate any discrimination based on sex, sexual harassment, and/or sexual misconduct. In line with the University’s aspirations to be a beacon of the liberal arts in the MENA and wider Africa region, and in accordance with the 2011 Constitution of the Kingdom of Morocco, which guarantees equal protection and enjoyment of law to both men and women, AUI also aims to be a model in fighting and eliminating discrimination based on sex and ensuring equality of opportunity for both women and men.

Reporting incidents

Via phone:

Ext 2323 or 0535 862323 (from mobile phones or any external phone numbers) is a dedicated line for sexual misconduct reports;

Ext 2222 or 05 35 86 22 22(from mobile phones or any external phone numbers) for emergencies requiring immediate intervention.

Online:

Please use the following link to submit a complaint: https://forms.office.com/r/epvieb1zKJ

In-person:

Write ccso@aui.ma to book an appointment.

92-3Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane Community

Resources

Useful and Inspirational Videos

• Expérience sociale MIO sous titrée
• BREAKING THE SILENCE: Moroccans Speak out on Sexual Harassment
• Because I am a Man: Sexual Harassment - Morocco
• Loubna Jaouhari - و إلا هضرنا ؟
• Loubna Jouhari - Hya Sas (Women's Day) | Short Film | (لبنى الجوهري - هي الساس (يوم المرأة العالمي
• Eve Ensler: Embrace your inner girl
• Why Gender Equality Is Good for Everyone - Men Included | Michael Kimmel | TED Talks
• The surprising neuroscience of gender inequality | Janet Crawford | TEDxSanDiego
• Gender Stratification: Crash Course Sociology #32

Moroccan Law and Important Documentation

Moroccan Law and Government Measures:

• https://mrawomen.ma/wp-content/uploads/doc/VAW-Law-103-13-Morocco-Final-English-Translation-April-2018.pdf
• https://social.gov.ma/loi-n-103-13-relative-a-la-lutte-contre-la-violence-a-legard-des-femmes/
• https://social.gov.ma/strategie-nationale-de-lutte-contre-la-violence-a-legard-des-femmes-2

Moroccan Studies and Data

• https://evaw-global-database.unwomen.org/en/countries/africa/morocco
• https://morocco.un.org/fr/181594-fournir-des-services-de-police-et-de-justice-aux-femmes-victimes-de-violences-au-maroc
• https://euromedrights.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Factsheet-VAW-Morocco-EN-Mar-2018.pdf
• https://www.ong-aida.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Etude-Violences-de-genre-DEF-20190429_compressed.pdf
• http://www.observaction.info/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Rapport-final-Violences-sexuelles-et-transmigrants-au-Maroc.pdf
• https://www.cese.ma/media/2020/12/Avis-sur-l_elimination-de-la-violence-a-l_egard-des-femmes-VF.pdf

Share your thoughts:

If there is anything you want to bring to our attention, please write to us at ccso@aui.ma or submit a comment or request through the following form: https://forms.office.com/r/MRPFvRsKvJ

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FAQ

Q - What kind of incident reports can be filed?
A - Through the CCSO, AUI offers the possibility of filing different kinds of sexual misconduct and gender-based discrimination incident reports.

Reports can involve a) No follow-up, and be made anonymously or not (for AUI records); b) The application of a No-Contact-Order; or c) A process of mediation (conflict resolution) leading to a mutually satisfactory closure;
A formal complaint involving investigation and adjudication

Q - Who has access to my report?
A - For reports without follow-up, and for cases requiring mediation, no one aside from the CCOs has access to the report. In the case of a report leading to investigation and adjudication, the CCOs, the investigators and adjudicators will see the report, although all these stakeholders are subject to the rules of fair conduct, which ensure confidentiality.

Q - When can I call the police?
A - We believe that contacting the police is a right and the first option that any member of our community should consider in the case of assault or any offense. If a complainant chooses to file a complaint/charge through law enforcement, the CCSO will support them in this process. If a report has been filed internally (within AUI) and the complainant wishes to go to the police instead, then the internal process is put on hold, until the work of law enforcement/courts clarifies how to deal with the case internally. In a case where a complaint has been filed and treated internally (within AUI) and then closed, and if the complainant is unhappy with the outcome, they may choose to either request an appeal (within AUI), or they may choose to file a complaint with law enforcement.

Q - What is a No Contact Order and How do I get one to stop someone from harassing me?
A - The CCSO can help impose a No Contact Order to stop a respondent from coming into contact, directly or indirectly with a complainant when the risk of harm cannot be managed. To do this, the person who is being harassed would lodge an incident/case report. Any of the three types of report can include a no-contact order, but in the case of a report leading to mediation, the No Contact Order will be enforced until the mediation, and if agreed by both parties, it may be extended or repealed as a result of the mediation outcome.

Q - What is the process of imposing a No Contact Order?
A - For the No Contact Order to be implemented the CCO takes the report from the complainant and then sets out to meet with the respondent to get their version of the incident and give them a chance to explain their behavior. Once the case is well-documented thanks to the testimonies of both the complainant and the respondent, and sometimes, other witnesses, then a No Contact Order is signed by both parties, and then enforced through the appropriate oversight office (VPAA, DSA, or CHEGO) in conjunction with the Security Department.

Q - What should I keep in mind if I am part of a No Contact Order?
A - As with any incident report, the rules of fair conduct apply. This means that both the respondents and the complainants are expected to uphold confidentiality and commit to refrain from any form of retaliation or interference in the process of the case.

Q - What are the rules of fair conduct?
A - The rules of fair conduct refer to a set of principles that govern how incident reports are handled and what is expected from the parties involved. The rules of fair conduct include a commitment to confidentiality, abstinence from any behavior that could be deemed as retaliation or interference, and provisions against false accusations and false witness testimony.

Q - Who must abide by the rules of fair conduct?
A - The people who are processing the case (Designated reporting officers, and when relevant investigators and adjudicators), the complainant, the respondent, and the witnesses, are all bound by the rules of fair conduct. The only exceptions are when cases/incidents require the attention of AUI’s president or the assistance of legal counsel.

Community Care and Safety