26 jul 2022 om 11:07 | Update: 6 minuten geleden
The University of Amsterdam (UvA), the Free University (VU) and HvA withdrew all grants in September 2021 due to overruns in the start-up period. The corps would no longer receive grants worth around 15,000 euros for at least a year.
It has not yet been decided when the markets can resume. “But this incident certainly does not help to adjust our position on this,” says UvA spokesperson Yasha Lange on behalf of the three institutions.
Earlier on Tuesday, it emerged that several female (and some male) members of the ASC/AVSV feel unsafe due to sexist speeches by four male members. “We were promised that a culture change would be worked on. There is no evidence of that yet,” the spokesman said. “We consider this a very serious incident.”
Speeches were ‘downright insulting, shameful and sad’
An internal letter expressing the women’s concerns was signed by 273 female and some male members of the corps. The letter is in the hands of NU.nl. The top of the association will conduct an investigation, after which sanctions may follow for the four.
ASC/AVSV had a so-called ‘gentlemen’s dinner’ on Sunday at the NDSM quay in Amsterdam. The dinner is part of a multi-day lustrum. Four senior male members gave speeches there which the women said were “downright insulting, shameful and sad”. There were only men in the room.
One of the men is said to have said that “women are nothing but whores”. Another reportedly proclaimed that “men will break women’s necks to stick their dicks in”. He is also said to have called women “sperm buckets”. A video of one of the speeches is circulating on the Internet. In the video, the audience can also be heard chanting “whore”.
Among other things, the women also write that they are “done with sexism” within the association. The corps senate has launched an internal investigation into all speakers. “This may lead to sanctions, including suspension or termination of membership.” The speaking men would have important positions within the ASC/AVSV
Reunists also strongly condemn the statements
The Association of Reunisters (VvR) in the Amsterdam corps also condemns the misogynistic statements. The speakers must answer for their misogynistic statements on Tuesday, writes the reunification board in a letter.
According to VvR, in the past year there has been hard work on a cultural change within ASC/AVSV “We know that changing behavior takes years, that years of ingrained customs and habits do not just disappear, even if there is a need to do so . We need to get rid of these unsafe cultures, also because it ultimately kills our association.”
VvR’s board also finds it “hopeful” that around four hundred members – mainly women – sent a letter to the rector of ASC/AVSV on Monday to express their displeasure.
Aspiring members were injured during obscurity
It is the second time in a short time that Amsterdam’s student union has been discredited. During the initiation of 2021, several students were injured after “gross abuse and humiliation” in at least six fraternities by the Amsterdam student body.
As a result, some hopeful members suffered physical injuries. This left them with bruises and sores, or they could no longer walk properly.
