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Call it out aims to raise awareness of the help and support available if students face discrimination, prejudice, harrassment, sexual misconduct or violence.
The Office for Students has released national statistics showing that full-time students are more likely to experience sexual assault than those in any other occupational group. Another study showed that out of 6,000 students, nearly 50 per cent of women said they had been touched inappropriately.
Given these troubling statistics, we recognise that in order to succeed, students need to feel safe while studying and be part of a community that recognises and celebrates diversity, equality and inclusion.
Taking Action
‘Call it out’ encourages staff and students to take four key steps in order to prevent and tackle harassment and sexual misconduct which we will explain in more detail below
Keep informed: Increase your awareness of unacceptable behaviour.
Keep informed: Increase your awareness of unacceptable behaviour.
Harassment
Harassment is unwanted behaviour which you find offensive or which makes you feel intimidated or humiliated.
What is harassment?
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 protected characteristics
Sexual misconduct
Sexual misconduct is any conduct that is sexual, unwanted and causes distress, or that otherwise constitutes harassment, bullying or victimisation.
What is sexual misconduct?
This includes, but is not limited to:
Sexual harassment
Unwanted conduct which creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment
Assault
Rape
Physical unwanted sexual advances
Intimidation, or promising resources or benefits in return for sexual favours
Distributing private and personal explicit images or video footage of an individual without their consent
Discrimination
Being treated unfairly because of who you are or a protected characteristic such as disability or race.
What is discrimination?
Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly because of who they are or because of a protected characteristic such as:
age
disability
gender reassignment
race
religion or belief
sex or sexual orientation
marriage and civil partnership
pregnancy and maternity.
Treating someone less favourably because of who they are is a form of direct discrimination.
However you don't have to have a protected characteristic to be discriminated against. If someone thinks you have a characteristic and treats you less favourably, that's a form of direct discrimination by perception.
Indirect discrimination
Indirect discrimination is when a provision, criteria or practice is applied in the same way for everyone, but this has the effect of putting people sharing a protected characteristic at a disadvantage.
It doesn’t matter if there was no intention to disadvantage that group. What matters is whether that action does disadvantage that group in some way. An example of this could be a dress-code or rules on appearance which might indirectly discriminate against individuals or groups of a particular religion, belief or sex.
Indirect discrimination applies to all protected characteristics other than pregnancy and maternity, although something that disadvantages pregnant women or new mothers may be indirect sex discrimination.
Hate Crime
A hate crime is an action or behaviour that is motivated by hostility towards a protected characteristic.
What is a hate crime?
A hate crime is an action or behaviour that is motivated by hostility towards a protected characteristic. These are:
age
disability
gender reassignment
race
religion or belief
sex and sexual orientation
marriage and civil partnership or
pregnancy and maternity.
Anyone can be a victim of hate crime. You do not have to be a member of the group the hostility is aimed at. For example, you could be called a religious slur without being a member of that religious group.
Domestic violence
Can include emotional, psychological, physical, financial and sexual abuse in couple relationships (current or previous) or between family members.
What is domestic violence or abuse?
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse, can happen to anyone, regardless of gender or sexuality.
It can include emotional, psychological, physical, financial and sexual abuse in couple relationships (current or previous) or between family members.
It can be an individual incident, or a pattern of incidents, but always involves one person having control and power over another.
If you're worried someone might see you have visited this page, find out how to cover your tracks online.
Bullying
Unwanted behaviour that is intimidating, offensive or insulting.
What is bullying?
Anyone can be bullied, but it usually involves individuals or groups with more power, bullying someone with less. The person who is being bullied can feel humiliated, threatened or upset and it can become a pattern of behaviour.
Report it: Speak to a trusted member of staff if you experience harassment.
Report it: Speak to a trusted member of staff if you experience harassment.
If you have had any experience of harassment or sexual misconduct, you do not have to deal with it alone. If you choose to disclose or report your experience of harassment, hate or sexual misconduct to us, we can provide you with the necessary support. We recommend that you speak with a trusted member of staff (such as your tutor) first, if you do not feel comfortable speaking with a member of staff you can complete our 'REPORT IT' form.
If you feel that you are at risk, you can also report your experience by clicking the button. The information you provide will be dealt with in a sensitive and confidential way.
You can also visit the safeguarding site for more information.
Be an ally: Stand against any form of harassment and support those around you.
Be an ally: Stand against any form of harassment and support those around you.
Sometimes these issues go unreported because those who experience it or witness it are anxious about what will happen or don’t know what to do; sometimes people do not want their identity to be discovered.
Through our everyday interactions, we are challenging or enforcing social norms, we are leading by example and role modelling behaviour.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you can intervene in a situation. Broadly speaking there are four types of intervention an individual can take when they are a bystander to inappropriate behaviour or language: Direct, Distract, Delegate and Delay. You may need to use more than one intervention, depending on the situation.
Direct
Direct
Here are some approaches and phrases you might use but it is important to find the language that feels natural to you.
If it is safe to, challenge the behaviour / language.
Can we talk this through calmly?
The language you are using is making me uncomfortable
Seek clarification, providing the person an opportunity to reflect on what they have said
Could you repeat/ explain that, I’m not sure I understood what you said
Offer your support to the receiver
Are you ok?
…. makes a valid point, I’d like to hear more
Sometimes the very act of sitting or standing beside the receiver can be empowering and make them feel supported.
Distract
Distract
Interrupt or distract both parties to derail and de-escalate the situation.
I really need to speak to...
Are you ready to go to that meeting?
Changing the focus of the conversation can be a signal to the person that you do not support or agree with their statement.
Can we talk about ….
Delegate
Delegate
Seek help if there are other bystanders.
This is getting out of hand, we need to step in
This is not right, we need to say something
Tell someone what you witnessed, a friend, tutor, member of student support or external organisation
I’m not sure what was going on but I witnessed this and it made me feel uncomfortable. I thought it was important you knew
Delay
Delay
We often freeze in the moment or it didn’t feel right at the time to say anything, but it is never too late to act.
Approach either or both parties later, replay what you observed and why you felt uncomfortable.
Advise the receiver there are people they can talk to
Remember we can often change the behaviour of others by role modelling good behaviour ourselves.
Access support: We will support students who have experienced harassment or sexual misconduct.
Access support: We will support students who have experienced harassment or sexual misconduct.
Help and support is available through the Safeguarding team, HE Progression and Wellbeing Officer and Course Tutors via the following contacts:
Leeds City College: Safeguarding Team
HE Progression and Wellbeing Officer: laura.macgregor@ucleeds.ac.uk
The primary role of anyone supporting you is to listen, provide independent support and guidance regarding the range of options available to you. These people will treat any matters you raise in confidence within the remit of legal responsibilities and the needs of investigating the allegations.
There are a number of organisations and charities that may be able to support you:
Practical information about reporting incidents and the police force in your area.
Citizens Advice has more information about what you can do if you’ve experienced, or know someone who has experienced, a hate incident or crime. Hate incidents and hate crime happen because of prejudice or hostility based on a person's disability, race, religion, sexual orientation or transgender identity.
Rape Crisis can help you find a Rape Crisis Centre, get online emotional support, or find information and self-help tools.
Stonewall can help you find LGBT support services and community groups that are local to you.
TellMama offers a secure service that allows people from across England to report any form of anti-Muslim abuse.
Disability Rights UK has a disabled students' helpline, providing advice to disabled students studying in England. They also campaign to improve disabled people's rights and to tackle hostility, bullying and hate crime.
The Community Security Trust is a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism.
You can also find more information, resources and videos on our Resources page
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