Culture of paying attention
How do we go about it specifically? First of all, we, the → Threat Management Team, kindly ask you to inform us whenever you or somebody else at our University becomes a victim of threats, stalking or violence. It makes no difference if this concerns students, employees or other persons. We will contact the persons affected immediately.
In a first assessment of the situation, it is necessary to discuss if and what kind of safety risk there is for the person affected and to determine the degree of pressure/strain caused by it. As necessary, a case management study will be developed and discussed with the person affected. For such case management, there is no one-fits-all solution, instead pragmatic and flexible steps will be taken to defuse the risk to and ensure the safety of the person affected as best as possible.
Possible strategies are, for instance, providing safety-concious advice and guidance for persons affected, helping them to prepare a safety plan, to obtain legal advice or when reporting to the police. To ensure best- possible support even in more problematic cases, the Threat Management Team is in close contact with service providers outside TU Darmstadt, such as psychosocial support services and the police.
Drawing the line at unacceptable behaviour
Please inform the Threat Management Team immediately if individual members of TU Darmstadt get themselves noticed because they issue threats, express violent fantasies or because of other transgressive behaviour or acts. Here, too, it is important to pay attention and to clarify the reason behind this unusual, odd, conspicuous or abnormal behaviour.
People who prey on others by stalking, pestering, harassing or molesting them, to name a few, usually are in need of help and support themselves. We take care of these people as well by getting in touch with the respective → counselling services. However, it is also import to draw a line at transgressive behaviour officially to stop this intimidating and threatening behaviour.
Threat management by nature also includes ready availability in an atmosphere of trust. Discretion, fairness, no rash prejudgements and protecting the privacy of all concerned have top priority. In addition, threat management is about resolutely championing the safety of all members of TU Darmstadt. This is what TU Darmstadt is committed to.
However, this can only be accomplished if everyone of us, student or employee, assumes responsibility and does not look the other way when spotting warning signs indicating a possibly critical development or situation.
