What is Bullying?
Bullying is offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or an abuse or misuse of power, which undermines, humiliates, denigrates or injures the recipient.
Bullying is offensive, abusive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or an abuse or misuse of power, which undermines, humiliates, denigrates or injures the recipient.
Bullying behaviour includes:
- Excluding or isolating someone socially.
- Physically abusing or threatening abuse.
- Making offensive jokes or comments.
- Intruding on a person's privacy by pestering, spying or stalking.
You do not have to accept any behaviour that you’re uncomfortable with.
You can let us know about something that has happened/is happening to you or someone else.
What is Harassment?
Harassment is unwelcome behaviour that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive atmosphere.
It can refer to any aspect of personal identity.
Although the actions or comments may possibly have been meant as ‘banter' if they are viewed as unacceptable to the recipient, it could be officially classed as harassment.
What is Online Harassment?
The use of information and communication technologies by an individual or group to repeatedly cause harm to another person. Online harassment can invade all aspects of a target’s home and personal space and may involve threats, embarrassment, or humiliation within an online environment.
The use of information and communication technologies by an individual or group to repeatedly cause harm to another person. Online harassment can invade all aspects of a target’s home and personal space and may involve threats, embarrassment, or humiliation within an online environment.
Online harassment may also be referred to as cyber-aggression, cyberbullying, cyber-harassment, cyber-hate, cyber-victimisation or deviant online behaviour.
Online harassment may include:
- Persistent use of the internet or other electric communication to harass, frighten or spy on someone
- Sending or posting harmful content about a person to other people
- Sharing someone’s personal information, without their consent
- Purposeful isolation of individuals from online communication with others in a network
- The exchange of online sexual images or videos
- Online disclosure of sexual or intimate photos or videos, without the consent of the person pictured
- Pretending to be someone else online
- Sending or posting deliberately inflammatory, inappropriate or controversial messages or comments on the internet intended to upset or provoke responses from other internet users
What is Abuse?
Abuse is to treat someone with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. Abuse includes any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.
Abuse is to treat someone with cruelty or violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. Abuse includes any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.
Abuse can take many different forms and can be enacted in different ways. There are different types of abuse and these can include: physical abuse, domestic violence or abuse, sexual abuse, psychological/ emotional abuse, financial/ material abuse, modern slavery, discriminatory abuse, organisation/ institutional abuse, neglect/ acts of omission, self-neglect.
Initiations
An example of bullying, harassing and/ or abusive behaviour may be initiations which may, for example, take place to 'induct' students into sports teams or societies. There is a difference between 'initiations' and 'problem initiations'. Not all 'initiations' involved the types of harmful or inappropriate activities or behaviours that would establish a 'problem initiation' (British Universities & Colleges Sport, BUCS webpage).
An example of bullying, harassing and/ or abusive behaviour may be initiations which may, for example, take place to 'induct' students into sports teams or societies. There is a difference between 'initiations' and 'problem initiations'. Not all 'initiations' involved the types of harmful or inappropriate activities or behaviours that would establish a 'problem initiation' (British Universities & Colleges Sport, BUCS webpage).
A problem initiation is not defined by:
- The naming of an activity
- When it takes place
- The location of that activity
- Individuals willing to participate
Inappropriate or dangerous activities or behaviours associated with 'problem initiations' include but are not limited to:
- Bullying, harassment and power inequality, often used as a means to coerce participation in activities, challenges and other risky behaviours, designed to humiliate, often against a person's will
- Consumption of excessive quantities of alcohol
- Consumption of abnormal/ unpleasant substances
- Forced acts of nudity/ nakedness
- The humiliation of a person in public
- Victimisation of a specific group of individuals (e.g. "Freshers")
- Sexual harassment/ inappropriate sexual jokes/ sexual assault
- Isolation or ostracising of individuals (e.g. through removal of mobile phone/ geographical remoteness)
- Psychological or physical torment perpetrated against an individual's wishes
Immediate and Ongoing Support
If you are on campus, or in a University building and would like support, please contact our Security Service on 0116 252 2888 who are available all day, every day. If you are in need of urgent NHS Mental Health Support you should call the 24-hour Central Access Point on 0116 295 3060. If it’s a life-threatening emergency or you need immediate help please call 999.
Students and staff can disclose an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can leave your email address to seek further support from Student Support.
Students and staff can disclose an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can leave your email address to seek further support from Student Support.
Internal Support
Student Support Services (University):
- Standing Together team: can offer practical support and guidance in relation to unacceptable behaviours. Our work involves supporting students on a 1:1 basis, and providing holistic support options and referrals, where relevant. After an initial needs and risk assessment, we can provide students with options in relation to reporting and support – including those detailed above and below. We can also support students in accessing services and coordinating this. In order to access this support, please leave your contact email address when completing the online disclosure form. For more information, please visit the campaigns tab of this system.
- Counselling and Wellbeing team: Click here.
- Self Referral form for On-campus Counselling: Click here.
- AccessAbility team: Click here.
- Welfare team: Click here.
(particularly for financial concerns, support for underrepresented groups, and general advice and signposting)
For more information about University and Students’ Union support, please see: www.le.ac.uk/wellbeing
External Support
- Victim First are an independent and confidential service that support victims through their journey of recovery. They can support you coping with the after effects of crime and help with reporting to the police.
- National Bullying Helpline offer practical help and support to anyone experiencing bullying. Call 0845 22 55 787 9am-5pm Monday-Friday
- Bullying UK provides advice relating to bullying at University. Call 0808 800 2222 or email askus@familylives.org.uk for advice. Their helpline is free and confidential.
- Stop Online Abuse- Galop’s online resource to help women and LGBT people who have experienced online abuse.
- Speak to your GP or call 111 out of hours if you are concerned that you may have been injured. If your injuries are severe go to your nearest Accident and Emergency department.
- The Black, African and Asian Therapy Network: https://www.baatn.org.uk/free-services
- Qwell- Online support service offering online support as well as 1-1 chat based counselling with a qualified counsellor. Counsellors are available from 12noon to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm to 10pm at weekends, every day of the year on a drop in basis. No referral is required- please visit their website to register.
- Togetherall- a free online mental health support community, available 24/7. Access a variety of courses and resources to help manage mental health. The platform is ran by trained professionals and allows users to share anonymously and receive support from others. No referral required- please visit their website to register.
You can find further information about other reporting and support options by clicking here