Student voice: Gabrielle Hachemi and the campaign against HVSS
On the occasion of International Women's Rights Day, INSA Hauts-de-France's student representatives took action to raise awareness ofHarassment and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (HVSS).
Gabrielle Hachemi, a student in her third year of engineering, specializing in Energy Mechanics, and involved in associative life, tells us more about this student-led initiative.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us about your career at INSA Hauts-de-France?
"I arrived as soon as I had integrated the pre-prep program, and very quickly I found my place: between the courses, the projects and above all the associative life, which has given me an enormous amount. It taught me how to organize myself, manage teams, take the initiative... in short, it really built me up.
Having had a passion for mechanics ever since I was a little girl, I'm therefore fully fulfilled in my current training and I'm still looking to shape my professional project through my experiences and internships."
Why launch a campaign against HVSS?
"Life at INSA is intense: between classes, assos, sports and parties. But it's precisely this rhythm that made us realize that we needed to take some time to talk about important issues that can affect our campuses and our day-to-day relationships. The idea for this HVSS campaign was born from there: from the desire to maintain a safe, caring space, where everyone feels legitimate to talk and be heard. Raising awareness isn't about breaking the mood, it's about enabling everyone to enjoy student life to the full, without discomfort or unspoken words. That's why we decided to launch our first initiative in January 2026, and why we've decided to renew it.
For us engineering students, getting involved in HVSS isn't just about "doing something extra". It's about realizing that our future profession will require us to work in a team, supervise projects, bear responsibility... and that it all starts here, on campus."
This campaign is a way of saying that technique is not enough: an engineer is also someone capable of listening, understanding others and guaranteeing a respectful framework. We want everyone to feel legitimate, safe, and free to enjoy student life without discomfort or fear of judgment."
What messages did you want to get across with this campaign, and what message are you sending to the INSA and UPHF community today?
"With this campaign, we wanted above all to get a simple message across: HVSS are not "separate" subjects, they're part of student life, and that's precisely why we need to talk about them. We wanted to remind everyone that everyone has a role to play, that everyone's limits count, and that a safe campus is built together, not just when there's a problem.
We also wanted to show that prevention can be positive, creative, and even unifying. Not a moralizing thing, but a way of saying, "We can party, have fun, live our INSA years to the full... while respecting others."
The feedback was really encouraging: many students told us that it felt good to see these subjects addressed clearly, without taboos. Some shared their experiences, others suggested ideas for going further. Above all, it showed us that there were real expectations, and that this campaign was just the beginning.
On International Women's Rights Day, we wanted to remind everyone of something simple: a campus where everyone feels respected, listened to and safe, is everyone's business."