However, the lack of a significant #MeToo movement does not make Luxembourg an island in a sea of sexual assault. Instead, the discourse around the issue is practically non-existent. In RTL Television's 30-minute report, the consensus given by those involved in the area is that victims feel they are not taken seriously and are left to deal with their trauma alone.
Sexual harassment and assault at the workplace can have a number of severe consequences: it can make someone's everyday life hell, ruin their career, lead to depression and, in a worst-case scenario, suicide.
Sexual harassment exists in all sectors, affecting mainly women, but also men. The issue is also one that exists in the finance sector.
Aleba, the banking trade union, claimed it was high time the issue broke past its taboo nature and that politicians broached the issue too. The trade union can help victims with chasing up assault issues, but individual delegates confirmed that many victims express a reluctance in providing information about their assault, mainly out of fear.
Laura Weiser, who belongs to the "Mobbing" not-for-profit association (mobbing meaning bullying in Luxembourgish) told RTL about a male client of hers who had been assaulted by a colleague. She noted that this man's case was a particularly distressing one, as the man had been so traumatised that he had been unable to talk about the assault. Instead, he could only describe it in writing.
Whilst the perpetrator in this case only received a written warning, this only happened after the association wrote to the employer on the victim's behalf. The firm had initially moved the victim to another department, effectively punishing him for speaking out, until the association intervened on his behalf. Weiser outlined that the firm adheres to a collective agreement which states that sexual assault perpetrators should be let go, but instead the firm protected the perpetrator with its actions. Consequently, Weiser and the organisation advised the victim to seek legal aid.
In a different case, another victim of sexual harassment reported long-standing harassment in messages to their boss, and the perpetrator in question was let go. In an interview, the woman told RTL that she felt she had to go to her boss as she did not feel like she was in a position to tell the person to stop harassing her and let her work.
These two experiences show that, despite a legal framework, sexual assault can occur without consequences. The Labour Code mentions sexual assault as of a 2000 law. However, judge and harassment specialist Jean-Luc Putz affirmed that there are very few reports and court cases. Putz, who has written a book on the issue, explained that given the lack of cases making it to the courts, this means there are no guarantees that victims are treated appropriately.
Domestic violence statistics also remain alarming: women's shelters are overwhelmed: VISAVI, one of those shelters, has a waiting list that lasts a month.
For further information on the topic, the video report in Luxembourgish interviews victims and those involved in helping with victims with assault cases.
Video in Luxembourgish
