Harassment at LSBU is defined by the Equality Act 2010 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997:
- The Protection from Harassment Act 1997 defines harassment as a course of conduct (i.e. two or more instances of verbal or non-verbal conduct and/or speech) which alarm or cause distress, which the person knows or ought to know amounts to harassment.
- The Equality Act 2010 says that a person harasses another if they engage in unwanted behaviour related to a relevant protected characteristic (age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation) and the behaviour has the purpose or effect of violating the other person's dignity, or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.
At LSBU both single incidents and repeated incidents may be considered to amount to harassment.
Even if the behaviour was not intended to amount to harassment it may still be considered harassment. A person may also be harassed even if they were not the intended target. Harassment may occur in person or online.
For more information and examples please see the Preventing and Responding to Student Harassment and Sexual Misconduct webpage and the Student Bullying, Domestic Violence, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy .
Harassment is not ok and is never your fault. You can report this behaviour on Report and Support platform and access support from LSBU.
It is important to note that not all behaviour that some may consider offensive would be considered harassment, particularly when balanced against the right to freedom of speech within the law, academic freedom and tolerance for controversial views in educational contexts or environments.
However support is available to any student who feel offended or distressed by incidents, regardless of whether they would be considered harassment.
For more information: