We believe bullying and harassment are never OK.
Bullying: is unwanted behaviour from a person or group that is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting, or behaviour that abuses or misuses power to undermine, humiliate, or cause physical or emotional harm to someone. It may not always be obvious or noticed by others. It's possible someone might not know their behaviour is bullying. It can still be bullying even if they do not realise it or do not intend to bully someone.
Harassment: is unwanted conduct that is intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive to someone or a group of people. Some forms of harassment are considered a hate incidents and they are violent or hostile acts directed at someone because of a disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or trans identity. If the act is a criminal offence, then it is a Hate Crime. Whether an act is a hate incident depends on the motivation of the person who commits the act, regardless of the victim’s actual identity. Someone can also be a victim of a hate incident because they are associated with the target.
Racial/Religious Harassment: Harassment may be racially or religiously aggravated. These behaviours are an incident or a series of incidents intended or likely to intimidate, offend or harm an individual or group because of their ethnic origin, colour, race, religion or nationality, and a racist incident is any incident that is perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person (Crime and Disorder Act 1998, MacPherson Report 1999). Stalking: Stalking is a serious form of harassment. Police UK describe this could be someone you do or do not know; an ex-partner or a person you were friends with, or it might be a stranger. If it's someone you know, or knew, it doesn't mean that it's your fault; it's still stalking and it's an offence.
Stalking may include:
· regularly following someone
· repeatedly going uninvited to their home
· checking someone’s internet use, email or other electronic communication
· hanging around somewhere they know the person often visits
· interfering with their property
· watching or spying on someone
Everyone deserves to feel comfortable to be themselves and safe at University and the University's Inclusion and Respectful Behaviour Policy is commitment to ensure all staff and students are treated with dignity and respect.
All reports of incident of bullying and harassment are taken seriously.
Find out more:
EHRC (EHRC) provide some further information on unlawful harassment. Information about bullying from Human Resources.