What is Bullying & Harassment?
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 and includes online bullying.
Signs of bullying can include:
· Spreading harmful rumours about you
· Insulting someone with words or behaviour
· Publicly ridiculing or demeaning you
· Treating you unfairly by excluding you or victimising you
· Overbearing supervision or misuse of power that makes you feel uncomfortable
Legitimate, reasonable and constructive criticism of performance or behaviour, or reasonable instructions given to staff in the course of their employment, would not be considered bullying.
Harassment: Harassment is unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct which may (intentionally or unintentionally) violate a person’s dignity or create an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment which interferes with an individual’s learning, working or social environment. It also includes treating someone less favourably because they have submitted or refused to submit to such behaviour in the past. Harassment often involves repetitive actions or behaviour that violate a person's dignity or create a hostile atmosphere.
Harassment may involve sexual harassment or 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, gender or sexual orientation. Harassment can take place on and off-line.
Harassment has the meaning given in section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 and section 1 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 (in its entirety, and as interpreted by section 7 of the Act), meaning that harassment suffered by all students is within scope, rather than only by reference to protected characteristics under the 2010 Act.
o Insulting, mocking or making offensive comments.
o Unwanted physical contact or intimidation.
o Making inappropriate sexual advances or comments.
o Sending threatening messages or posting harmful content.
o Undermining someone’s work or creating a hostile work environment.
A person may also be harassed even if they were not the intended "target". For example, a person may be harassed by racist jokes about a different ethnic group if they create an offensive environment.
I have been affected by bullying and harassment- what can I do?
Internal and External Support:
Report and Support is a disclosure site which allows the university community and visitors to inform the university of unwanted behaviours. You can report anonymously or you can submit a report with contact details and speak with a trained member of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team or The People Team, to discuss your disclosure and options. This in in line with the University’s privacy statement and does not instigate the start of a formal complaint.
Information relating to University Procedures are available and provide information about how you can make a formal complaint to the university about your experience.
The student Counselling, Mental Health & Wellbeing service . In addition to providing wellbeing support for a range of issues that affect students, the service can talk you through your reporting options and what support is available.
To The People Team who can provide advice, guidance and signposting for staff.
The Student Union Advice Service is a free, confidential, independent and experienced service for the student community to access representation and support.
The Student Union Advice Centre is also a Hate Crime Reporting centre. Advisors are trained to support you in reporting any hate crimes or incidents that happen to you or that you witness.
The University Advice and Resolution Centre (ARC) offers members of the public and the university community access to free legal and advisory services.
Trade Unions. There are three trade unions that represent staff at the University: Unison, Unite and UCU.
Staff Counselling service or call 01772 892329 to request an appointment.
External
Family lives provides information and support for students experiencing bullying.
Young Minds provides information, support and blogs for students experiencing bullying and a range of other issues
Stalking:
Suzy Lamplugh Trust provides advice on how to deal with stalking.
Spiking:
Rape Crisis England provide further information including how to help someone you think may have been spiked.
Citizens Advice provides some information on bullying and harassment
Young Minds has put together a blog on how to deal with bullying.
Lancashire LGBT is proud to support a number of groups and activities across Lancashire that provide a diverse range of opportunities for LGBTQ+ people.
Disability Rights UK offer advice for people with disabilities in the UK
Galop - the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity provides LGBTQIA+ people with advice and support. You can also call them on 0800 999 5428
Stop Hate the UK’s only free dedicated 24-hour anti-Hate Crime reporting service for all monitored strands of a person’s identity or perceived identity
True Vision offers information and support related to hate incidents and hate crime
Victim Support (England and Wales) Victim support has additional pages on hate crime and hate incidents as well as sexual harassment
Victim Support NI (Northern Ireland)
Victim Support Scotland (Scotland)