A COALITION of students and alumni at the Ateneo de Manila University sought a survivor-centered and trauma-informed system in addressing sexual harassment cases in the campus.

A joint statement released by Time’s Up Ateneo and the Sanggunian Commission on Anti-Sexual Misconduct and Violence asked the ADMU administration to “duly honor survivors, their healing, and their vision of justice.”

“We call for a survivor-centered and trauma-informed approach in reforming our systems to address SGBV (sexual and gender-based violence). We call on the university administration to be true to the principle of the Code that commits to do no harm and to refrain from the revictimization and retraumatization of survivors,” they said.

The coalition also sought an apology from the administration for the “misleading” memorandum it released on October 23, 2019, which “discredited the stories and voices of survivors and their advocates.”

The memorandum signed by then ADMU President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin said there was no formal complaint filed against two professors tagged in sexual harassment cases on campus.

The groups called on the university administration to “formally release survivors from any Non-Disclosure Agreement and to refrain from weaponizing the Data Privacy Act” against survivors and their supporters.

They called on the ADMU community to continue necessary conversations and steps in seeking accountability and confronting the reality of SGBV inside the campus.

“The Sanggunian: Commission on Anti-Sexual Misconduct and Violence and Time’s Up Ateneo reaffirm our solidarity with survivors in their journey toward justice and healing,” they said.

“We also offer any assistance they may need in seeking psychosocial support, filing complaints and appeals of past cases, and reporting cases of retaliation. We hope that the entire community’s efforts, along with the implementation of the Code, create and foster truly caring and accountable spaces in the university,” they added.