What are Bullying and Harassment?

Both bullying and harassment are contrary to the Equality Act 2010 and the University of Warwick’s Principles and Dignity Policy. 

Bullying is offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour involving the misuse of power.

Power does not always mean being in a position of authority, but can include both personal strength and the power to coerce through fear or intimidation.

Bullying can take the form of physical, verbal, non-verbal and online conduct. Actions may constitute bullying whether or not the person behaving in that way intends to cause offence. This also applies to people who are not the subject of the bullying, but who may witness and be offended by it. 

Examples of bullying include, but are not limited to: 

Bullying can take the form of persistent behaviour or a single action. 

Important to note: There are differences between bullying and assertive management. Bullying is always unfair and may undermine someone’s efforts to perform well. Assertive management, on the other hand, may involve setting demanding – but fair and achievable – targets and standards of behaviour appropriate to someone’s job, grade and level of responsibility. 

 

Harassment (as defined by Section 26 of the Equality Act 2010) includes unwanted behaviour or conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment because of, or connected to, one or more of the following protected characteristics:

Under our definition, we understand harassment to include domestic violence and abuse (which can also involve control, coercion and threats) and stalking.

We would also consider harassment to include any incidents of physical violence towards another person(s) on the basis of a protected characteristic.