Sexual harassment is defined as:  "any unwanted sexual behaviour that makes someone feel upset, scared, offended or humiliated, or is meant to make them feel that way".

“The college does not tolerate sexual harassment and sexual violence, and takes reports of this behaviour very seriously. 

It is the responsibility of ALL staff and students to create a culture of inclusivity, challenge and safety.” - Relationships and Behaviour Policy

Sexual violence covers a range of sexual acts that happen to someone without their consent.

All sexual activity has to be consensual, otherwise it is a crime. 

Use the dictionary below to learn some of the terms you might hear when discussing sexual violence. 

De-mystifying 'sexual violence'

Sexual violence includes 

• sexual comments, such as: telling sexual stories, making lewd comments, making sexual remarks about clothes and appearance and calling someone sexualised names; 

• sexual “jokes” or taunting;

• physical behaviour, such as: deliberately brushing against someone, interfering with someone’s clothes and displaying pictures, photos or drawings of a sexual nature;

• online sexual harassment. This may be standalone, or part of a wider pattern of sexual harassment and/or sexual violence. It may include: 

consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos

sharing of unwanted explicit content;

upskirting; 

sexualised online bullying; 

unwanted sexual comments and messages, including, on social media; 

sexual exploitation; 

coercion and threats. 

AN EXAMPLE FROM NETFLIX'S SEX EDUCATION

In season two of 'Sex Education', Aimee experiences a sexual assault. It is incredibly traumatic for the show’s sunniest character and in season three she is still dealing with the repercussions of the assault, which is having effects on her relationships with her boyfriend as well as her own body.

What can I do?
Sexual violence and harassment is unacceptable and is against the law. If you experience it, or you witness it happening to someone else, it's important to take action. 

• take a note of what has happened - what was said/done, by who, where? 

• if you feel comfortable, tell the person that what they have done/said is not okay and you are not comfortable with it 

• tell someone; speak to a friend, a teacher, a family member

• if you would like to report something in College to the safeguarding team, you can use the Report It form. 

• consider accessing support externally, using one of the services below. 

Let's Get Talking Campaign 

If you have a story to share, we want to hear from you. The 'Let's Get Talking' platform is for you to anonymously share what you have experienced and hear what others have experienced. 

Click here to read more. (TW - Survivor Testimonies)

What is CSE?

CSE is when someone takes advantage of a child or young person for sexual purposes. This can happen online or in person, and the exploiter could be someone the young person knows or a stranger. It's never the child's fault.

Signs and Indicators:

It can be difficult to know for sure if someone is being exploited, but some possible signs include:

• Changes in behaviour, like becoming withdrawn, anxious, or aggressive

• Spending a lot of time online or being secretive about online activity

• Changes in sleeping or eating patterns

• Unexplained gifts or money

• Physical injuries or marks

• Talk about a "new friend" or "special someone" they've met online

• Running away from home

How to Get Help:

If you're worried about yourself or a friend, it's important to talk to someone you trust. This could be a parent, teacher, or Designated Safeguarding Officer. You can also contact these organisations:

• NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ - 0808 800 5000

• Childline: https://www.childline.org.uk/ - 0800 1111

• CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command): https://www.ceop.police.uk/

Additional Resources

Self Help

Self Help Guides: https://www.kcrasac.co.uk/self-help/

Self Help Tools : https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/tools-for-victims-and-survivors/ 

The 5 F's: fight, flight, freeze, flop and friend https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/tools-for-victims-and-survivors/understanding-your-response/fight-or-flight/ 

Supporting survivors

Tips for supporting a survivor of sexual violence (Rape Crisis UK website): https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/supporting-a-survivor/ 

Share your experience (TW - Survivor Testimonies)

Everyone's Invited (a place for sexual violence survivors to share their experiences): https://www.everyonesinvited.uk/

The Egalitarian (a place for spiking survivors to share their experiences): https://www.theegalitarian.co.uk/spike-report