• Kopay Police patrol near girls’ hostels to ensure safety  

University of Jaffna Vice Chancellor (VC) Prof. Sivakolundu Srisatkunarajah yesterday (18) said that university authorities are expected to submit a report to the University Grants Commission (UGC) soon regarding incidents of sexual harassment faced by female students of the university, perpetrated by outsiders. 

Speaking to The Morning, Srisatkunarajah said that the Director for Gender Equality and Equity of the university would submit a report regarding the incidents in compliance with a request made by the UGC. 

“This report is prepared in consultation with our team, including myself, and the Kopay Police,” he added

Elaborating on the incidents, he noted: “There is a railway track located between the hostel and our university, as a railway station was established during wartime. There was also a slum in the area, and currently, several youth can be seen loitering along the railway tracks. At times, using it as a shortcut, university students would also cross the railway tracks to enter the university. What some of these loitering youth would do is to expose their bodies to the female students they come across. This is the harassment that female students have had to face. This is extremely disturbing for female students to experience.”

He further added that this was reported to the Kopay Police and that youth in the surrounding areas have also supported efforts by the university authorities. 

“Now, the perpetrators have vanished. However, this practice continued for a week or two. These perpetrators seem to be maniacs. This behaviour must be induced by drugs. The female students were not physically harmed, as we protected them. But these incidents have caused embarrassment for the female students who were exposed to such,” he added. 

He further noted that the Kopay Police are currently patrolling the area.

Meanwhile, two weeks ago, the Jaffna University Students’ Union (JUSU) lodged a complaint via university authorities against the sexual harassment of female students residing at the university hostel by outsiders. Speaking to The Morning, JUSU President Alagarasa Vijayakumar said that on 15 December, around 200 female students residing in the hostels had forwarded a petition to the Jaffna University VC regarding the sexual harassment they are facing, following which the issue had been referred to the Kopay Police. 

“Our fellow female students have had to face such harassment while walking down the road where the hostels are situated. There are around 781 female students residing at the university hostels,” he said. 

The petition sent to the university administration had been by the female students residing at the new ladies’ hostel in Kokuvil. The petition dated 17 November stated that these incidents of sexual abuse and harassment-related activities have mentally affected all the female students who had endured such. Facing such incidents on a daily basis is a threat to their security, and therefore, they appealed to the authorities to take swift action.