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“My comrade, the other deputy vice-chancellor, said it could be someone else on the phone, and that we should send the recording to Australia for voice analysis,” Professor Kelly said.

The matter was reported to Police twice, Professor Kelly said.

On both occasions the files, that also had the recording, went missing, she said.

The harasser’s action had the victim living in fear. She would get someone to walk with her all the time. She would get to her flat and he’d be standing close by.

The lecturer had also harassed a few other students. Professor Kelly said one was prepared to come forward and another said she couldn’t because it would be devastating for her family.

“In the end, this case created a rift between Rajesh (former vice-chancellor) and I,” Professor Kelly said.

“When I had to leave, they had to pay me out the rest of my contract because the university had no grounds to fire me. It was more than a year of my salary, and it was a lot of money.”

INCIDENT 2

A relationship that developed between a student and an expatriate lecturer took a violent turn when the girl was murdered by her husband.

“I was very concerned when I found out that she was in a relationship with a staff member, who was abusing that relationship – a guy coming from Australia,” Professor Kelly said.

The girl was married but was separated. The husband had gone to the head of the school and reported the affair that it was against the rules of the university.

The university’s by-laws were drafted by Professor Kelly in 2010.

“One of the first things I did, with Rajesh’s permission and consent, we pass the whole bylaw about sexual relationship between staff and student.

“If it was proven that there was a sexual relationship between the staff and student, then the staff member would be fired because it would be an abuse of power.”

Professor Kelly said she learned of the relationship through her head of counselling when the expat lecturer had contacted their office.

It turned out that the student was invited by her husband to their former home, where he then murdered her and later committed suicide.

“The expat lecturer left the country without any penalty, which was wrong. He is complicit in a murder and a suicide,” Professor Kelly said.

“People pitied the mother of the girl, but I said no, also feel sorry for the mother of the man who killed himself.

“He tried to tell people just how serious this abuse of power and sexual relation was. It could have been consensual, but in the end, it was completely inappropriate.”

Professor Kelly said today sexual relationship between a staff member and a student in universities around the world was forbidden because it was an abuse of power.

OTHER INCIDENCES

It was known in the university that a male staff member would take female students to his apartment on several occasions. At one stage, Professor Kelly had reported the matter to Police to clear out his apartment. In one incident, this staff member had stalked a girl, who was 17 years old at the time, in Nadi. The contract for this staff member had since been terminated. He is believed to be re-employed at another tertiary institution in the country.

A lecturer was in a sexual relationship with a female student and would often visit her at an on-campus accommodation provided for students.

Another lecturer, who also owned a rental apartment, would only rent out his apartments to female students. There have been cases where the lecturer had asked the students indirectly that if they couldn’t pay the rent, then they could sleep with him. This lecturer would ask this particular girl personal questions, including making indirect statements for sex to pay rent.

An informed source said there were no repercussions of sexual harassment unless it came up in the media. The source spoke on the condition of not being identified.

The informed source had been the staff of the university for about 10 years. He said he was aware of many cases involving male lecturers and female students.

“They [male lecturers] would do sexual pressures for grades,” he said.

“They would have a lot of flexi classes in Lautoka, where they will then take the students.”

The informed source said those female students were powerless. Some would give in to the pressure just to get a pass. Most females would get good grades, he said.

The university’s procedure of investigating the allegations puts more pressure on these students.

“[University] convenes a committee to investigate the issue and the students are called to tell their experience, so that’s an awkward situation for the students,” the informed source said.

“USP recently came up with a sexual harassment policy, but the burden is placed on the students to write the details of their experience.”

He believes that sexual harassment thrives in USP because these men have never been held accountable.

In addition, students at the university are not empowered to stand up and speak.

“The trend is to get an education, get a job, that’s it,” he said.

FIJI WOMEN’S CRISIS CENTRE

Ms Ali said the act of sexual harassment was unacceptable no matter where it happened.

“Over the years, we have had reports or complaints from several institutions because of sexual harassment,” she said.

“Men in powerful positions use their influence to harass women, especially junior officers or young women. They would control promotions or passing of courses.”

Ms Ali said most women did not open up about what they were experiencing because they feared victimisation.

“The harasser has power over them, these vulnerable women continue to submit themselves, and it’s hard for them to trust and have confidence in people so that they can open up.”

She explained most times men continued to commit sexual harassment because of Fiji’s patriarchal society.

Most cases are unreported, including in universities because there are no robust sexual harassment policies, Ms Ali added.