Protest in front of Jaffna University against alleged sexual harassment of female students

Civil society organizations based in Jaffna staged a protest today in front of the University of Jaffna condemning alleged sexual harassment of fresh female students by senior students. Women representatives of local government bodies and activists demanded an independent probe to investigate complaints lodged by female university students. 

Earlier a group of students from the Technology Faculty of the Jaffna University are being investigated and may even face dismissal following a complaint that a first year female student was being harassed to an extent that she had even attempted suicide.

This follows a complaint by the student’s father to Northern Governor P.S.M. Charles that his daughter was receiving insidious phone calls and pornography material on her mobile during the ragging period from a third year student of the university’s Technology Faculty based in Kilinochchi. The father had said that the constant messages had even driven the student to attempt suicide.

The Governor had directed the university to conduct an inquiry. Accordingly, the university sent a group of officials to the faculty on Friday and they were due to report back in two days.

Pix N.Lohathayalan