Bullying
Bullying is intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive behaviour, through means which have the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, or humiliating environment. Bullying usually involves a repeated course of conduct. Bullying can take the form of physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct (such as posting on social media).
Harassment
Harassment is unwanted behaviour or conduct [including of a sexual nature] which has the purpose or effect of violating any person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment, regardless of their personal characteristics, and it is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the conduct to have that effect. A single sufficiently serious act may amount to harassment depending on the circumstances of the case
Unlawful harassment may be related to a protected characteristic such as age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, sex or sexual orientation. The University also protects on the grounds of gender identity and expression.
A person may be unlawfully harassed even if they were not the intended 'target' and even if the behaviour occurred only once. For example, a person may be harassed by racist jokes about a different ethnic group, or by misogynistic threats even if they do not identify as female, if they create an offensive environment.
Examples of bullying and harassment include (but are not limited to): ·
- Unwanted physical conduct or ‘horseplay’, including touching, pinching, pushing, grabbing, brushing past someone, invading their personal space and more serious forms of physical or sexual assault.
- Shouting at, ridiculing or demeaning others.
- Physical or psychological threats.
- Inappropriate and/or derogatory remarks about someone's performance.
- Abuse of authority or power by those in positions of seniority.
- Offensive or intimidating comments or gestures, or insensitive jokes or pranks.
- Racist, sexist, homophobic or ageist jokes, or derogatory or stereotypical remarks about a particular ethnic or religious group or gender.
- Outing or threatening to out someone as gay, lesbian, bisexual or trans.
- Mocking, mimicking or belittling a person’s disability.
- Ignoring or shunning someone, for example, by deliberately excluding them from a conversation or a social activity.
To report bullying or harassment to the University, please click here. For information on support please see here.