Bullying and harassment

If you are in danger, call emergency services on 999.

Get support for bullying and harassment

If you feel like you are being bullied or harassed, complete the form to request support and speak to one of our wellbeing advisors.

You can also request support from external services:

Ditch the Label: an online advice and support community for young people up to the age of 25 who have experienced bullying.

SARI: a Bristol-based casework service, helping you get the support you need. Their service is free and confidential.

Bullying

Bullying is unwanted behaviour which is meant to:

• scare you or/and
• force you to do something you do not want to do.

It can be physical, verbal, emotional and/or online (cyberbullying).

Anyone can be bullied. But it usually involves a person or group with more power (which might be physical, financial, or social), bullying someone with less. Being bullied might make you feel humiliated, threatened or upset, and it can continue over time.  

Types of bullying behaviours

• being shouted at, ridiculed or mocked
• physical or verbal threats
• unacceptable or offensive comments about your appearance, lifestyle, or culture
• actions or words which create a hostile environment, like deliberate exclusion or social isolation
• abuse of a position of power
• posting on social media or sharing photos.

This is not a complete list.

Harassment

Harassment is any behaviour that is unwanted and makes someone feel uncomfortable, upset, or unsafe.

Harassment based on personal characteristics

This includes behaviour that is either:

• sexual in nature
  or
• related to things like someone’s:
  • age
  • disability
  • race
  • religion
  • gender identity
  • sex
  • sexual orientation.

It is also harassment if the behaviour:

• was intended to harass the person
  or
• violates someone’s dignity or creates a humiliating, hostile, intimidating or offensive environment for someone (even if that was not the intention).

Whether behaviour is considered as harassment depends on:

• how the person experiencing the behaviour feels
  and
• whether it’s reasonable to feel that way.

It is unlikely to be reasonable for students to regard academic free speech as harassment. For more information on this, read the "Freedom of speech code of practice" (pdf).

Harassment not based on personal characteristics

Harassment is not always about personal characteristics. It can also be:

• unwanted behaviour that happens more than once
  and
• carried out by a person who knew (or reasonably should have known) it was upsetting.

This includes causing someone distress or alarm, either in person or online.

Our commitment to students who have experienced harassment

We do not tolerate harassment.

Our harassment and sexual misconduct policy sets out our expectations from you (the student) and all our staff. 

Our joint commitment to students on sexual violence and harassment outlines how we will offer support for affected students.