Anti-sexual harassment stickers spark complaint of slander

The University of Quebec in Montreal is investigating after anti-sexual harassment stickers were plastered on three professors’ office doors.

University officials say no one has complained about any of the three professors. Some are wondering if the sticker campaign amounts to slander, or cyberbullying, after pictures of the stickered doors and the professors’ names ended up online.

Earlier this week, stickers bearing the words “zero tolerance” and “Politique 16” – a reference to a section of the university’s rules dealing with sexual harassment -- were plastered on the professors’ office doors.

It’s not clear who posted the stickers, but AFESH, the association representing thousands of students on campus, posted pictures of the office doors and the professors’ names on its Facebook page.

“To investigate a claim we have to have a complaint,” UQAM’s vice-rector Marc Turgeon told CTV Montreal.

“Right now I have a complaint from the professors about the slander which they are victim of. I don't have a complaint from a student about either of these professors,” he said. “You can’t have justice by using such means as slandering people on (the) Internet.”

On Thursday, the professors’ office doors were sticker-free, but the accusations have divided the community on the issues of victims’ rights and anonymous accusations of sexual harassment.

The university has asked AFESH to remove the photos of the stickers from its Facebook page, but the student association has refused.

With a report from CTV Montreal’s Denise Roberts