Definitions

Bullying is unwanted behaviour, which is intimidating, offensive or insulting. Anyone can be bullied, but it usually involves individuals or groups with more power, bullying someone with less. The person who is being bullied can feel humiliated, threatened or upset and it can become a pattern of behaviour. 

Please note: Legitimate, constructive and fair criticism of a student's performance or behaviour at University is not bullying. It is also recognised that an occasional raised voice or argument in itself may not constitute bullying, though is not encouraged.

Harassment is unwanted actions or behaviour by individuals or groups, which violates a person’s dignity and creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Sexual harassment is when these actions or behaviours are sexual in nature.

Bullying and harassment against a person due to a protected characteristic is considered a hate crime. This means that the behaviour or actions are motivated by hostility towards age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership or pregnancy and maternity.

Acts of violence or hostility towards someone that is motivated by prejudice based on their actual or perceived disability, race, religion, transgender identity or sexual orientation may also be classed as a hate incident.

The police and Crown Prosecution Service have agreed a common definition of hate incidents.They say something is a hate incident if the victim or anyone else think an act of hostility was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on someone’s actual or perceived;

• disability
• race
• religion
• transgender identity
• sexual orientation

Hate incidents can include but are not limited to: verbal abuse like name-calling, harassment, threats of violence, online abuse (for example on Facebook or Twitter), abusive phone or text messages.

When hate incidents become criminal offences they are known as hate crimes. A criminal offence is something which breaks the law. 

Hate crimes have been defined by the Association of Chief Police Officers and Crown Prosecution Service as: "Any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on a person's disability or perceived disability; race or perceived race; or religion or perceived religion; or sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation or transgender identity or perceived transgender identity." 

Hate crimes can include but are not limited to: assaults, criminal damage, harassment, theft, burglary or hate mail.

Sexual Harassment comes in many forms and includes a range of inappropriate and unwanted behaviour including, but not limited to;

• unwanted sexual advances or touching
• sexually degrading or abusive comments or gestures
• emails or messages with sexual content
• sharing sexually explicit materials (such as images, videos or links) in person or in any digital space 

Sexual Harassment is unwelcome behaviour which violates a person's dignity, makes an individual feel intimidated or degraded, or creates an offensive environment. You don't have to have objected to a certain kind of behaviour in the past for it to be unwanted and constitute harassment.

Sexual Assault is any physical, psychological and emotional violation when an individual is forced into sexual activity without giving their consent. This includes, but is not limited to the most severe physical offences, including rape. It can also involve forcing someone to witness sexual activity.

Rape and sexual assault are traumatic experiences which can have long term physical and emotional effects on an individual. Reactions to sexual assault are always different, an individual might feel ashamed, depressed, numb or in shock and have flashbacks.

How an individual behaves, how they dress or how much they drink is never a justification for assault and it is never the survivor’s fault.

Consent is mutual verbal, physical and emotional agreement which is given without pressure, mind games or threats. If someone cannot make or communicate a decision, understand the consequences or are unaware that they have a choice, then they cannot give consent.

Just because someone doesn't say 'no' it does not mean they are giving consent. You can confirm if you have consent verbally and by checking the other person's body language.

• Someone who is on drugs or too drunk may not be able to give consent.
• Someone who is asleep or unconscious cannot give consent.
• Someone who has said yes to one thing has not consented to anything else.
• Someone has the right to withdraw consent at any time and say stop.
• Someone who has been subjected to violence, or threats of violence against themselves or someone else has not given consent
• Someone who's disability prevents them from understanding or communicating lack of consent cannot give consent.

If you're not sure, stop. Sex without consent is rape. Watch a short video about consent here.