Harassment and bullying

What is harassment?

Definition

Harassment is unwanted conduct that occurs with the purpose or effect of violating the dignity of an individual or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

It can be carried out by an individual or group of individuals. It frequently involves someone in a position of authority bullying someone in a lesser position, but bullying of people in a more senior position by people in a lesser position and between people in an equal position does occur. All are equally unacceptable.

This definition includes sexual and racial harassment, and bullying as well as any other form of personal harassment arising from disability, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, religion etc. Differences in attitude, background or culture can mean that what is perceived as harassment by one person may not seem so to another.

The University will apply a 'Test of Reasonableness' in responding to reports of harassment consistent with the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. This Act states that it is not necessary to prove an intention to harass; rather a court would have to be satisfied that the harasser had pursued a course of conduct which amounted to harassment of another and which the harasser ‘knows or ought to know amounts to harassment of the other’. This means that harassment will have occurred if any independent, reasonable individual deems it to have occurred.

The University has an equal duty of care to both the individual alleging harassment and the alleged harasser and an allegation cannot be presumed proved until properly investigated and tested against this principle of reasonableness. There may be occasions where there are no witnesses to an incident of alleged harassment and it is one individual’s word against another. Where this is the case the balance of probability can be taken into account.

If you think you or another individual have experienced harassment, these are the first steps to take.

Examples

Sexual harassment

Unnecessary physical contact, jokes of a sexual nature, displaying sexually explicit material, intimidating behaviour such as indecent demands or requests for sexual contact or actual sexual assault.

Racial harassment

Conduct based on race, colour, nationality or ethnicity which is offensive to the recipient such as intrusive or inappropriate questioning about racial or ethnic origin, derogatory name-calling or jokes.

Personal harassment

Making fun of personal circumstances or appearance.

Bullying

(Can be psychological and/or physical) unmerited criticism, isolation, gossip or behaviour that is intimidating or demeaning.

Harassment on grounds of sexual orientation

Homophobic remarks or jokes, threats to disclose sexuality and asking intimate questions about sexual activity.

Harassment on grounds of religion or belief

Offensive remarks or jokes or refusal to work with a person because of their religion or belief.

Harassment of disabled people

Discussion of the effects of a disability on an individual’s personal life, uninvited physical contact or staring, or inappropriate questioning about the impact of someone’s disability.

Age harassment

Derogatory age-related remarks or unjustifiable dismissal of suggestions on the grounds of the age of the person.

Social media

Inappropriate communication sent via social media, eg SMS text, the web or social networking sites, can also constitute harassment.

Stalking

Leaving repeated or alarming messages on voice mail or email, following people home, or approaching co-workers to ask for personal information.

Policy on the Protection of Dignity at Work and Study

The University of Exeter is committed to a policy of equality of opportunity and aims to provide a working and learning environment which is free from unfair discrimination and will enable staff and students to fulfil their personal potential. All individuals should be treated with dignity and respect whether at work or study; staff and students have an important role to play in creating an environment where harassment is unacceptable.

Policy on the Protection of Dignity at Work and Study