UU sends e-mail to all students urging them to delete any copies of infamous 'slut lists'

The so-called "slut lists" circulating among students are illegal and violate the rights of the women mentioned. According to criminal law, they constitute doxing, slander, defamation and insult. That's what is stated in a letter sent by law firms Boekx and La Raison to the university on April 18. Both offices represent the women mentioned on the infamous lists.

In the letter, they also call on the university and the university of applied sciences to send a letter to all students by April 24, urging them to delete any copies of the documents immediately and not to distribute them any further. The lawyers note that sharing the document, attempting to obtain it, or possessing it and not deleting it are all punishable actions, with sentences of up to two years and fines of up to 22,500 euros.

In addition, the lawyers state that educational institutions play an important role when it comes to ensuring a safe space for all students in Utrecht. Insisting on the removal of the lists is one of the means the university and the university of applied sciences have to enforce this safety. Student associations USC and UVSV have also received a request to call on their members and former members to delete the lists.

The Executive Board says: “We consider it self-evident to respond to this request. This situation requires a strong signal that we do not accept this kind of behaviour, which is why we have decided to take the exceptional step of e-mailing all students, in addition to our previous messages and sanctions against USC.”

In the letter to students, the university writes that the lists are "repulsive" and "cross the line of what is permissible", which is why the university "once again explicitly asks everyone to prevent the lists from being shared any further, including in the future, by deleting the lists. We urge you to contact others who have the list(s) too. Although the suffering caused to the victims is irreversible, this is how we as educational institutions want to contribute to the safety of the students affected.”

Earlier this week, the lawyers, alongside the knowledge centre OffLimits, appealed to the Public Prosecution Service to force the social network Telegram to remove the lists. The two lists that have made the news – and possibly a third one – have been confirmed to keep circulating on the platform. Telegram hasn't replied to the lawyers' requests yet.