What is Bullying?
Bullying is abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or an abuse or misuse of power, which undermines, humiliates, degrades or injures the recipient.
Bullying behaviour includes:
- Excluding or isolating someone socially.
- Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
- Making discriminative jokes or comments.
- Intruding on a person's privacy by pestering, spying or stalking.
- Abuse of authority or power
What is Harassment?
Harassment is unwanted behaviour that has the intention or effect to cause alarm and distress. This can lead to a violation of a person’s dignity or create a hostile, degrading or intimidating atmosphere. The behaviour must occur on more than one occasion to be classed as harassment.
Harassment includes;
- Derogatory jokes that create a degrading or hostile environment
- Racial or ethnic slurs
- Sexual Harassment
- Verbal Abuse
- Physical Assault
- Distribution of misinformation
Similarly, online harassment is the use of online devices to harass an individual or group with the intention of effect to cause alarm and distress. This may also be referred to as cyber-aggression, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, cyber-hate, cyber-victimisation or deviant online behaviour.
Online Harassment includes;
- Persistent use of electronic communication to harass, frighten or monitor an individual
- Distribution of misinformation or malicious information
- Online disclosure of sexual or intimate photos or videos without consent
- Fraudulent representation i.e., known as catfishing
Impact of Bullying and Harassment
Impact of Bullying and Harassment
The University of Leicester is committed to protecting freedom of speech within the law. This means students, staff and visitors can share and discuss ideas, even where others may disagree.
But if you feel you have been, harassed or discriminated against, this is not ok and may be against the law. We are here to listen and support you.
You can disclose this to us via our Report & Support disclosure form, and we can provide you with support.