Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome words, conduct, or behaviour of a sexual nature that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, embarrassing, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the recipient. It is a misuse of personal or institutional power and often based on a person’s gender, although it is rarely about sexual desire.
Whether or not the harasser intended to be offensive is irrelevant. The limit of acceptable behaviour is up to the recipient to decide. A single incident or persistent behaviour can amount to harassment.
Sexual harassment can include, but is not limited to:
- catcalling
- following
- making unnecessary and unwanted physical contact
- sexual jokes and comments
- giving unwelcome personal gifts
- wolf-whistling
- leering
- derogatory comments
- unwelcome comments about a person’s body or clothing
- asking unwelcome questions about a person’s sex life and/or sexuality
- engaging in unwelcome sexual propositions
- invitations and flirtation
- making somebody feel uncomfortable through displaying or sharing sexual material
Sexual harassment does not necessarily occur face-to-face – it can be in the form of emails, visual images (such as sexually explicit pictures on walls in a shared environment), social media, phone, text messages, and image-based sexual abuse such as revenge porn and upskirting.
Sexual harassment is a criminal offence and contrary to the University's Disciplinary Regulations.