What is Harassment?
There are two different forms of harassment:
1. Harassment related to protected characteristics
This refers to unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct related to one or more protected characteristics and which has the purpose or effect of violating your dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for you.
When deciding whether conduct has this effect, all of the following must be taken into account – your perception, all the circumstances of the case, and whether it is reasonable for the conduct to have that effect.
Protected characteristics relevant to this definition are - age; disability; gender reassignment; race; religion or belief; sex; and sexual orientation
Harassment may occur in an individual’s learning, working or social environment.
2. Harassment under the Protection from Harassment Act
This is where someone pursues a course of conduct (more than one act) which amounts to harassment of another person or two or more other persons, where the perpetrator knows that it amounts to harassment or ought to know that (because a reasonable person with the same information would think that it amounted to harassment). A course of conduct is not harassment if the person carrying it out can show that pursuing that course of action was reasonable in the particular circumstances.
If the course of conduct is harassment of two or other persons, the person carrying it out must also intend to persuade another person (whether or not one of those harassed) not to do something that they are entitled or required to do, or to do something that they are not under any obligation to do.
These types of harassment can include causing alarm or distress to another person but the conduct in question, when considered objectively in all the circumstances of the case, must be oppressive and unreasonable.
What if I'm not sure?
You don't have to be certain that what you've experienced fits neatly into one of these definitions to be able to access support from the University.
Accessing Support
You can access support from our Safeguarding and Welfare team (or Residence Life team if you live in University Residences), by completing this online form to share what you've experienced with your personal details.
You can find more information about the support available on our Harassment and Sexual Misconduct webpages.