Letters to The Editor: Sexual Harassment in Academia

Disclaimer: This article was published by the previous Editorial Board of The Edict (term ended December 2017). The current Editorial Board of The Edict does not publish anonymous articles or letters.

From Anonymous:
This is in response to the Open House on Sexual Harassment in Academia we had the other day.

I just wanted to say that it was a session that left a lot of people feeling far lighter when leaving, having got a big weight off their shoulders. It was great to hear everyone’s perspectives and points of view. I thought that it was particularly courageous of Prof. Gwen Kelly to be so open about her experience too.

However, what I wanted to say that was that I felt, and I’m guessing some others did too, really uncomfortable when Prof Baruah started talking. Regardless of how much or not I know about the whole situation and allegation, I am aware that it was in most part, true. And hearing him talk about “due process” and all that jazz with such conviction, seemed like pure hypocrisy and nothing else. It was nothing but scary, the nonchalance with which words poured out of his mouth.

It’s just something I felt, needed to be said, because the discomfort was visible on people’s faces.

Whatever happens, whatever the due f-ing process may be, I hope some good comes out of it.