Taking a stand against violence

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LMU is taking a stand against violence against women: “Today, we’re prominently showing our support for the global UN campaign ‘Orange the World – End Violence Against Women’ by displaying flags at the main entrance,” says Dr. Margit Weber, Vice President for Equity, Talent Management and Diversity at LMU. “But not just today and not just with flags!” she emphasizes. “The fight against violence against women, raising awareness of the issue, and empowering women against all forms of violence is an ongoing task. As a university, we have got a special responsibility: We’re not only a place of learning, but also a place of respect, safety, and equality. Violence – in whatever form – has no place in our community.”

LMU offers a wide range of prevention, education, and awareness-raising services as well as dedicated contacts and supports: “Our aim is to promote respectful and safe coexistence; the issue must not be taboo, because even universities are not perfect idylls in this respect,” explains Weber. “I call on all members of our university to lay down a visible marker – today in orange and every day through solidarity. Each and every one of us is responsible! Together, we can create a culture in which violence has no place.”

In addition, an orange bench will be inaugurated on November 25 in front of the LMU main building on Geschwister-Scholl-Platz. It will serve as a visible symbol against sexual harassment, discrimination, and violence against women, and for respectful coexistence based on mutual esteem.

LMU’s Equality Office wants to give LMU students and staff, as well as passersby, the opportunity to participate in the campaign and show solidarity with those affected by taking a photo of themselves on the bench and sharing it on social media channels with the hashtags #OrangeTheWorld #StopViolence #BreakTheSilence. The bench was installed with the cooperation of the ZONA association and the Maxvorstadt district committee.

Background: 

The UN's "Orange the World“ campaign has been raising awareness of violence against women and girls since 1991. It runs for 16 days every year from the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November to Human Rights Day on 10 December. Since 2008, it has been part of the UN Secretary-General’s “UNiTE to End Violence against Women” campaign, which is run by UN Women.

In 2025, UN Women Germany is putting the focus of the Orange the World campaign on the violence that women and girls experience every day in public: on the street, at work, and in the digital world. According to the UN, a man kills his (ex-)partner in Germany every two days; 63% of politically active women experience digital violence; and 90% of young women feel severe to extreme fear when they encounter unknown men at night. (Source: https://unwomen.de/orange-the-world/)

Services offered by LMU:

Policy for Preventing, Protecting against, and Dealing with Cases of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment, and Sexual Assault at LMU: For the policy, see (pdf)

Counseling and contacts for all LMU members and guests: LMU Counseling and Outreach Services

Anonymous in-house consultation hours by the Women’s Emergency Hotline (organized by LMU Women’s Representative)

Courses on sexualized violence in digital spaces, violence prevention, self-assertion, and self-defense, as well as courses on self-assertion and self-defense for students with disabilities as part of the LMU PLUS program “Raising our voices together – combating sexism and sexual violence online”

“Self-assertion and self-defense for women – WEN-DO”

“Setting boundaries. Self-assertion and self-defense for women with disabilities – WEN-DO”

LMU Plus: „Consent Matters“

All events

Research project at LMU:

At the Center for Advanced Studies at LMU, a research group led by Julia Burkhardt, professor of medieval history at LMU, is investigating femicide from a historical-global perspective and using an interdisciplinary approach.