Former Dean Uantwerpen receives 1 year in prison with a delay for damage to sexual integrity and harassment at work (Antwerp)

The case against Guy H. started rolling after a student of Medicine had stepped into the Control Consistency of the University of Antwerp two years ago. She reported sexual cross -border behavior by Guy H., who was then still dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The young woman first addressed the professor himself about his behavior, who then decided to engage Mensura (the service for protection and prevention in the workplace, ed.). According to him, the student had an aggression problem.

After the report, the University of Antwerp started a disciplinary investigation. The rector finally decided to suspend the professor, after which he was no longer welcome at the university campus and was no longer allowed to show himself at the University Hospital Antwerp (UZA) in Edegem. Following reports in the media, the Antwerp public prosecutor started its own investigation for « possible criminal offenses ». An investigating judge was demanded for facts that were qualified as a damage to sexual integrity and harassment/unwanted sexual behavior at work.

Six victims reported

In the end, six female victims reported themselves, all students or employees at the UA and in the UZA. The former dean was accused of affected their sexual integrity, among other things by sending inappropriate messages via social media. The facts would have occurred over a period of ten years, from 2012 to 2022.

During the handling of the case, at the request of a victim behind closed doors, a penalty of eighteen months with a postponement was demanded by the public prosecutor’s office. The former dean denied part of the facts, but partly made confessions. His lawyers, Christine Mussche and An-Sofie Raes, asked to grant him the favor of the suspension. Then H. would be explained guilty but not get a punishment. The public prosecutor opposed this because it was of the opinion that H. shows too little debt insight.

Probation suspension Inappropriate

The court was guilty of H. throughout the line and finds an inappropriation inappropriate. « The defendant has abused his position in the hospital for a long period of time and at the university to commit facts. Because of their subordinate position, it was difficult for the victims to raise this. They experienced the collaboration as traumatizing, they had feared to be physically approached by the defendant. »

Guy H. was sentenced to a year in prison on Wednesday, he is also relieved of his rights for five years. He has to pay compensation to the civil parties, two victims receive 3,540 euros and 3,000 euros. The UA and the UZA each received compensation of 1 euro