Ateneo de Manila president apologizes for rising sexual harassment cases on campus

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/11/26/20181126_admu.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA <strong>(UPDATE)</strong> - The president of the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) on Friday apologized for the school&#x27;s &quot;gaps and inadequacies&quot; in dealing with sexual harassment cases against some faculty members.</p><p>&quot;I deeply apologize for all the terrible hurt and pain our community has been going through the past few days,&quot; Fr. Jett Villarin said in a statement.</p><p>&quot;No one should ever feel unsafe in the classroom, in the office, on campus or anywhere in our community.&quot;</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/TheGUIDON/photos/a.123251847713976/2538706349501835/?type=3&amp;theater" data-width="auto"> </div><p>ADMU officials were criticized for inaction on the rising number of reported sexual harassment and assault cases allegedly committed by some professors.</p><p>Students have staged rallies, urging Villarin&#x27;s administration to fire faculty members who allegedly made unethical advances towards their students.</p><div><script src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&amp;version=v2.5" async="" type="text/javascript"></script></div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2538926236146513&amp;type=3" data-width="auto"> </div><p>Villarin said he &quot;accepted&quot; all the criticism hurled at his administration, adding they &quot;still have much learning and listening to do to make things better&quot; for the students.</p><p>&quot;We acknowledge the extreme difficulty survivors face in coming forward to report instances of sexual harassment,&quot; he said.</p><p>The ADMU president said he would set up an Office for the Protection of Minors and Vulnerable Adults directly under his office to deal with the sexual harassment problem.</p><p>&quot;The administration shall hold consultations with our different stakeholders so that these and other possible initiatives can be set up in the remaining months of this first semester,&quot; Villarin said.</p><p>Meanwhile, the Guidon, the Ateneo de Manila University&#x27;s official student publication, on Saturday posted on Facebook a message by &quot;members of the Loyola Schools community&quot; defending one of the accused faculty members, who has been named on social media.</p><p>The group said it wasn&#x27;t standing for &quot;this practice of trial by publicity and mob lynching.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Such methods not only hurt individuals, but also undermine the efforts of the academic community to engage in genuine dialogue,&quot; it added.</p>

<p>"No one should ever feel unsafe in the classroom, in the office, on campus or anywhere in our community."</p>

"No one should ever feel unsafe in the classroom, in the office, on campus or anywhere in our community."

Ateneo de Manila president apologizes for rising sexual harassment cases on campus | ABS-CBN

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Ateneo de Manila president apologizes for rising sexual harassment cases on campus

Ateneo de Manila president apologizes for rising sexual harassment cases on campus

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 19, 2019 05:47 PM PHT

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Updated Oct 20, 2019 12:58 AM PHT

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Ateneo de Manila University

ADMU

sexual harassment

abuse

education

assault

students

professors

teachers

faculty members

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