Harassment Policy
The Adult College is working to ensure equality and the elimination of descrimination within its community, whilst promoting and valuing diversity.
This policy is an integral part of the college mission and key values. It should be read in conjunction with the college Equality and Diversity Policy and the references to relevant legislation contained within it, with reference to the college Race Equality Policy and to the Lancashire Adult Learning Disability Statement.
The college will support this policy through guidance, support and training for all employees
Key Principles
- The college is committed to eliminating intimidation in any form. The policy applies to harassment and bullying on the grounds of gender, race, ethnic origin, disability, age, nationality, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, belief, marital status, social or any other characteristic
- The college recognises that the right to freedom of thought is absolute, but the right to manifest beliefs is qualified by the need to protect the rights and freedoms of others.
- Harassment is a serious issue which can affect people's health, work performances, promotion, job prospects and achievement
- It is the right of every member of the college community to participate in college life without fear of harassment or victimisation
Definitions
Harassment is described as unwanted conduct that affects the dignity of women or men in their place of work or study; it encompasses unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal behaviour that denigrates, ridicules, excludes or intimidates.
Sexual harassment is defined by the EU as "when any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occurs with the purposes or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment."
Bullying is the intimidation or belittling of someone through the misuse of power or position, that leaves the recipient feeling hurt, upset, vulnerable, isolated or helpless.
Racial harassment is any unwelcome or hostile act or series of acts carried out by a person wholly or partly because of the racial origin of the recipient or which is perceived by the recipient to be racially offensive
Disability harassment is unwanted conduct based on disability affecting the dignity of men and women in their place of work or study
Harassment or bullying may include:
- Physical - actual assault, threatening gesture or other aggressive or offensive behaviour
- Verbal - spoken, textual or pictorial words or images which are threatening, defamatory, humiliating, abusive, sexually suggestive or racially offensive, including malicious gossip, comment, jokes or banter
- Non-verbal - isolation, exclusion or segregation; abuse of power, removal of responsibility, behaviour which undermines confidence or unfair sanctions
Harassment may be repetitive or an isolated occurrence against one or more individuals
It is not the intention of the harasser but the conduct itself and its impact on the recipient which constitutes harassment.
Accountability
Every member of the college community is responsible for ensuring that their own behaviour is consistent with this policy and for confronting or reporting discrimination, whether intentional or unintentional, whenever it occurs irrespective of whether a complaint is made.
The college management team will ensure that all allegations of harassment or bullying, received either informally or formally, are dealt with promptly and sensitively through an established procedure.
The Equality and Diversity Steering Group is responsible for ensuring that all members of the college community are fully aware of the procedure for taking action in the event of an incident of bullying or harassment
The college management team will ensure that training to support this policy is made available to all staff as part of the induction process and through the Professional Development programme
The college management team will ensure that this policy is widely published and its contents made known to all staff, students, contractors and visitors
Updated June 2005
