Students Lead Change: Raising Awareness on Sexual Harassment at AUBG

Imagine the following situation: “Maria’s friend keeps joking that she got a high grade because she 'flirted' with the professor. He says it all the time, even in front of others. She laughs it off, but it’s getting annoying.” What do you think is happening here? Is this situation harmless? Or is Maria’s friend’s commentary a form of retaliation, microaggression, or inappropriate “joking”? 

This scenario, underlining the subtle yet pervasive nature of harassment, is depicted in the groundbreaking JMC capstone project of two senior students, graduating this semester from the American University in Bulgaria: Lora Slavova and Valeriya Sotnikova (Lera). For their final JMC project, they have decided to transform a long-ignored issue into a movement for change, offering both a six-chapter (24 pages) educational booklet and a 45-minute video concerning sexual harassment on campus.

The stories shared remain anonymous, and in the video material, they are supported by animations and typography. However, for this article, we are going to focus only on the written booklet so as to respect the privacy and the details of the personal experiences of the individuals involved. 

Motivated by a deep concern for their community, back in Fall Semester 2024, Lora and Lera conducted a campus-wide survey that confirmed their pre-existing opinion: sexual harassment is a serious and sensitive issue, yet it is insufficiently discussed at AUBG. 

On campus, there are two resources students can reach out to for help when they have been sexually harassed: the Counseling Center and the Sexual Harassment and Discrimination Hearing Panel (SHDHP), consisting of three faculty members, two staff members, three students, and a chairperson. After reaching out to SHDHP, Lora and Lera found out that approximately only one case per semester gets reported. Clearly, harassment is happening, but students are not speaking up. 

This discovery strengthened the two women’s passion to act. In their booklet, they have written: “We students, made this booklet for you, fellow students,” underlying their communal responsibility and commitment to peer-driven change. Lora says, “Most of all, we’d like to inspire people and take the first step in opening up this broad topic of sexual harassment on our campus.”

Professor Matthew Whoolery, who teaches Cultural Psychology, supported the appeal for change, pointing out the role undergraduates play in shaping campus culture. “The overall culture sets the tone, in this case the Bulgarian one, but it is the students who shape and define the culture on AUBG’s campus,” he noted, alluding to the power of the peer community to cultivate the kind of environment they wish to live in.

To further enhance his idea, Alicia Ximena-Pop, a counsellor who became a part of the AUBG's support office in March this year, mentions: “The student initiative is key. Later, institutional support comes to reinforce their efforts.“

Building on this belief of self-driven change, the two seniors, through clear and accessible language, aim to “educate, empower and motivate you to stand up for yourself and others,” stressing the importance of conversations about safety, consent, boundaries, and respect as everyday necessities rather than rare exceptions. 

The educational booklet provides 18 definitions of different types of sexual harassment such as rape, sexual violence and misconduct, contacts to reach out to in immediate danger and advice on how to act when being a victim or help a friend who has been harassed. In a whole page dedicated to it, the booklet emphasizes the importance of giving a clear “consent” - a term that both women claim is often misunderstood or overlooked in conversations.

To clear up the misconceptions, the booklet also encompasses a section of myths and facts about giving consent, aiming to challenge harmful stereotypes and equip students with the knowledge necessary to recognize such issues and appropriately address them. One widespread myth addressed is: “A drunk person can give consent as long as they’re not passed out.” The booklet opposes that statement by pointing out that if a person is too drunk to drive, they are too drunk to consent. A judgment made in such circumstances is invalid.

Ximena-Pop shares that she was approached by Lora and Lera to contribute to the final chapter of their project. She states that society, in general, does not talk much about sexual harassment, not to mention taking action. The counselor points out how important the student initiative and the booklet are: “I think it is a great idea to raise awareness in order to know what students have to do in these types of situations and who they can reach out to.” 

Ximena-Pop recognizes that silence is a very common reaction to these kinds of traumatic experiences: “Usually harassment and abuse isolate a person.” She shares that this reaction comes from deeper psychological factors such as shame and fear of being judged. She then adds that people are afraid of what society will say, if their community will trust them, or if they will see the case as exaggerated. People often think that by staying silent, they can protect themselves. But this silence only protects the perpetrator, who often escapes without any consequences.

Professor Whoolery adds that not speaking up affects the entire community and influences the culture. “Students often don’t report inappropriate behavior because of the power dynamics between them and the faculty. This gap creates an environment where trust becomes fragile and speaking up feels unsafe.” However, a lack of initiative leads to the normalization of misconduct, as opposed to confronting it directly, allowing the problem to persist unchallenged. 

In that sense, the written booklet is a courageous step toward a broader cultural change on the campus of AUBG. It is not only an invitation for students to educate themselves on an important issue and provide their close ones with an adequate support system, but also to feel empowered to speak and take initiative in creating a safer community.  Ximena-Pop says: “Once they (victims) understand that what they are feeling is normal, it will be easier for them to share, knowing they have the support of the university and the support of the community.”

According to Ximena-Pop, AUBG is working on developing a more thorough sexual harassment policy. Educational sessions are another possible future option that the university discusses. Professor Whoolery also calls for a shift from passive observation, proactive involvement, and communal responsibility. “There should be advocacy,” he asserts.

Harassment is not just something we hear about on the news or see on TV; it can occur right here, among us, and it is up to all of us to recognize it, speak out, and work together to create a safer AUBG community. Lora and Lera believe that if their initiative “inspires just one person who then decides to contribute to this change, it will be enough.” Their project is a powerful step toward fostering an open dialogue and raising awareness on the issue of sexual harassment at AUBG. 

 

To learn more about sexual harassment and Lora and Lera’s awareness campaign, join their presentation on April 30th, 2025, at 8:00 PM on the ABF Lawn. You are also welcome to view their entire capstone project on May 7th at 10:00 AM in the “Andrei Delchev” Auditorium.

 

 

This article has been written by Kalina Marinova, Borislava Mincheva, and Gergana Ilieva, AUBG students. It is part of the collaboration between AUBG Daily and the Newsroom course led by Prof. Laura Kelly.