Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has been trending on Twitter after a number of students in a private Facebook group shared horrific stories of sexual harassment and abuse. Those who levelled the allegations reportedly include current and former female students of the university.
A source on the condition of anonymity, told Naya Daur that the culprits and perpetrators were named and shamed by the victims. Some serious allegations of rape were also made.
Meanwhile, a student of LUMS took to Twitter to share her own story. “For the first ever time in my life I exposed a man in front of the LUMS community who sexually harassed me during my first semester. The list of men is long but I took the first step today and it is a big deal.”
https://twitter.com/mintagul/status/1275699683122458626?s=20
https://twitter.com/sarahsajjad24/status/1275733457797251072?s=20
https://twitter.com/MichelleNaeem1/status/1275566502037643266?s=20
https://twitter.com/buymegoodfood/status/1275831576706912258?s=20
Another Twitter user said that a guy physically abused a girl on the campus. Multiple people witnessed the scene and it was also caught on camera. But still the students couldn't file a case in LUMS because the victims wasn't a university student. “We couldn't file outside because she was threatened and blackmailed. Time passed. He [the harasser] got away,” she added.
https://twitter.com/Mah_noorjahan/status/1275493100757057538?s=20
https://twitter.com/Yekiabakwaashai/status/1275887542609510400?s=20
https://twitter.com/Hafsa_Khawaja/status/1275769985894436865?s=20
Meanwhile, a LUMS alumna wrote a letter to the administration of the university, demanding them to ‘re-evaluate’ the existing sexual harassment policy of the university. She demands them to develop and adopt a protocol where students are supported when they come forth with such claims. Treat them with respect, appropriate sensitivity, and provide them an access to necessary care for their mental health.”
The alumna noted that the universities’ staff members, particularly the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), often discourage the victims to pursue formal complaints on grounds that they do not have sufficient evidence and will be caught up in a lengthy hearing process with limited chances of success.
Nida Kirmani, an associate professor at LUMS, tweeted: I don’t have access to LDF, but I’m reading about the troubling stories being narrated there. More power to the women who are sharing. Hope they report to the Sexual Harassment Committee. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s important that the mechanism is used & strengthened.”
https://twitter.com/nidkirm/status/1275733579390164993?s=20
https://twitter.com/baewafa2/status/1274794636683497474?s=20
https://twitter.com/notmeeru/status/1274802509098385408?s=20
https://twitter.com/lookitshnb/status/1274795021590499328?s=20
Another LUMS alumna took to Twitter to support the victims coming with such accusations. She said, “Seems like lumsu is having its #MeToo reckoning. During my time there, heard/witnessed so many stories of otherwise loved men. More power to the girls who are doing what many of us never knew how to.”
https://twitter.com/unearthedd/status/1275446004938977280?s=20
https://twitter.com/farrukh_rahma/status/1275827223879200768?s=20
A source on the condition of anonymity, told Naya Daur that the culprits and perpetrators were named and shamed by the victims. Some serious allegations of rape were also made.
Meanwhile, a student of LUMS took to Twitter to share her own story. “For the first ever time in my life I exposed a man in front of the LUMS community who sexually harassed me during my first semester. The list of men is long but I took the first step today and it is a big deal.”
https://twitter.com/mintagul/status/1275699683122458626?s=20
https://twitter.com/sarahsajjad24/status/1275733457797251072?s=20
https://twitter.com/MichelleNaeem1/status/1275566502037643266?s=20
https://twitter.com/buymegoodfood/status/1275831576706912258?s=20
Another Twitter user said that a guy physically abused a girl on the campus. Multiple people witnessed the scene and it was also caught on camera. But still the students couldn't file a case in LUMS because the victims wasn't a university student. “We couldn't file outside because she was threatened and blackmailed. Time passed. He [the harasser] got away,” she added.
https://twitter.com/Mah_noorjahan/status/1275493100757057538?s=20
https://twitter.com/Yekiabakwaashai/status/1275887542609510400?s=20
https://twitter.com/Hafsa_Khawaja/status/1275769985894436865?s=20
Meanwhile, a LUMS alumna wrote a letter to the administration of the university, demanding them to ‘re-evaluate’ the existing sexual harassment policy of the university. She demands them to develop and adopt a protocol where students are supported when they come forth with such claims. Treat them with respect, appropriate sensitivity, and provide them an access to necessary care for their mental health.”
The alumna noted that the universities’ staff members, particularly the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), often discourage the victims to pursue formal complaints on grounds that they do not have sufficient evidence and will be caught up in a lengthy hearing process with limited chances of success.
Nida Kirmani, an associate professor at LUMS, tweeted: I don’t have access to LDF, but I’m reading about the troubling stories being narrated there. More power to the women who are sharing. Hope they report to the Sexual Harassment Committee. I know it’s not perfect, but it’s important that the mechanism is used & strengthened.”
https://twitter.com/nidkirm/status/1275733579390164993?s=20
https://twitter.com/baewafa2/status/1274794636683497474?s=20
https://twitter.com/notmeeru/status/1274802509098385408?s=20
https://twitter.com/lookitshnb/status/1274795021590499328?s=20
Another LUMS alumna took to Twitter to support the victims coming with such accusations. She said, “Seems like lumsu is having its #MeToo reckoning. During my time there, heard/witnessed so many stories of otherwise loved men. More power to the girls who are doing what many of us never knew how to.”
https://twitter.com/unearthedd/status/1275446004938977280?s=20
https://twitter.com/farrukh_rahma/status/1275827223879200768?s=20