Sexual harassment is any unwanted and unwelcome words, conduct, or behaviour of a sexual nature which:
- violates your dignity
- makes you feel intimidated, embarrassed, degraded, or humiliated
- creates a hostile or offensive environment
Sexual harassment can include (but not restricted to): sexually degrading comments or gestures, unwelcome sexual advances, e-mails or text messages with sexual content, someone displaying sexually explicit pictures in your space or a shared space, your body being stared or leered at, spreading sexual rumors, being subjected to sexual jokes or propositions. The unwanted sexual conduct can occur in person, online or over the phone.
You don’t need to have previously objected to someone's behaviour for it to be considered unwanted. It does not matter if others think the behavior was ok or it is common- it is the person subjected to or witnessing to decide its unwanted.
You don’t need to have previously objected to someone's behaviour for it to be considered unwanted. It does not matter if others think the behavior was ok or it is common- it is the person subjected to or witnessing to decide its unwanted.
Sexual harassment is recognised as a form of unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010. Some forms of sexual harassment are automatically criminal offences such as stalking, indecent exposure, and ‘upskirting’, and other forms of sexual harassment might break criminal law in certain circumstances.
You can report an incident of sexual violence and find out how to get support via Report and Support.
For more information: