SEXUAL HARASSMENT: TABOO TOPIC AT UNIVERSITIES – LEGAL FRAMEWORK IN NORTH MACEDONIA

Abstract

According to the Istanbul Convention sexual harassment is a form of unwanted verbal, nonverbal, or physical behavior of a sexual nature with the aim or consequence of violating the dignity of a person, especially when an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment is created. Because of the specificity of the academic environment, the intention is every member of the academic community to be aware that universities should prohibit sexual harassment and sexual violence and that such conduct violates both the law and university policies. The main subject of the paper is the danger of sexual harassment in an academic context. In doing so, the legal frame of sexual harassment in the Republic of North Macedonia is reviewed with special emphasis on its determination in an academic context. The aim of the paper is to give an overview of the legal framework in North Macedonia regarding sexual harassment, also to conclude whether and which Macedonian public and private universities mention sexual harassment in their legal documents, and to test the knowledge among students about this phenomenon (using a segment of the research “Sexual Harassment at universities in North Macedonia), because recognizing and knowing is the first step in the process of prevention