What is Harassment?
Harassment may involve bullying, victimisation or making unreasonable demands on others directly or indirectly (e.g. e-mail). Grounds may include sex, race, religion, sexual preference, gender, political views, trade union membership, disability or age. Harassment may take the form of unfair allocation of work, unreasonable pressure to complete work, ridicule or exclusion from conversation or social events.
Bullying
Bullying may appear insignificant in isolated incidents, but the cumulative effect can be devastating. Bullying may involve actions or words which humiliate, patronise, threaten, intimidate, undermine or demean.
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature affecting the recipient's dignity. It may include physical contact, invasion of body space, suggestive remarks, unwanted comments on dress and appearance, jokes of a sexual nature or display of sexually offensive material. It is not uncommon for the person responsible to be unaware of the degree of distress produced.
Racial Harassment
Racial harassment is harassment based on race, nationality or national origin. It includes racist jokes, insults, display of racially offensive material and abusive language. Distressing behaviour may be deliberate, but may also be the result of cultural misunderstanding.
Harassment on the Grounds of Sexual Orientation
Harassment may be against individuals or groups of people who are or are thought to be lesbian, gay or bisexual. Examples include offensive jokes, ridicule, anti-gay comments and stereotyping, verbal abuse, threats, derogatory comments or intrusive questioning about a person's domestic circumstances. Innuendo, gossip or failure to accept partners in appropriate circumstances may also constitute harassment.
Harassment on the Grounds of Disability or Disfigurement
Harassment may be based on the fact that a person has a physical or sensory impairment, learning difficulty or disfigurement. It includes offensive or patronising language, action or behaviour, jokes, or inappropriate comments and questions which cause offence to the individual concerned.
Age
Ageism is usually experienced by older people but can also affect those who are younger. It may include assumptions regarding the individual's inability to learn, offensive remarks or exclusion on the ground of age.
Religious or Political Harassment, or Harassment on the ground of Trade Union membership
Religious or Political Harassment is based on religious or political views. This includes offensive jokes, ridiculing or name calling, or display of offensive written or visual material.