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Sexual harassment and assault
Hong KongSociety

University of Hong Kong chief Zhang Xiang vows ‘zero tolerance’ towards sexual harassment after postgraduate student’s Facebook article detailing problems with tutor

  • Vice chancellor says an immediate investigation has been launched into allegations by a postgraduate dental student
  • Malaysian woman posted a long article on Facebook about how she was harassed by an unidentified part-time tutor at Prince Philip Dental Hospital

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Hong Kong University says it is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive environment for its staff and students. Photo: Nora Tam
Phila Siu

The president of a Hong Kong university at the centre of sexual harassment claims has vowed to take a “zero-tolerance” approach to molesters, saying that supervisory staff who fail to prevent such attacks will also be held accountable.

In a letter to students, alumni and school staff on Sunday, University of Hong Kong president and vice chancellor Professor Zhang Xiang said that an immediate investigation had been launched into the allegations.

“As an institution that is committed to promoting equal opportunity and, therefore, takes a zero-tolerance stance towards sexual harassment, the university finds this allegation very disturbing,” said the letter by Zhang, head of the oldest university in the city.

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“In response, my management team and I have decided to launch an immediate investigation.”

Professor Zhang Xiang says the university opposes discrimination and harassment of any kind. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Professor Zhang Xiang says the university opposes discrimination and harassment of any kind. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
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The letter was issued after a Malaysian woman posted a long article on Facebook about how she was harassed by an unidentified part-time tutor at Prince Philip Dental Hospital under the university, when she was doing a postgraduate programme at the faculty from 2015 to 2018.

According to her account, the tutor made inappropriate physical contact with her. She said she was also verbally harassed.

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