WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

Sexual harassment is when someone behaves towards another person in a sexual way, without that person wanting it to happen or giving their permission.

This includes both words, such as unwanted sexual comments or sexual remarks about someone’s body, and physical behaviour, like unwanted touching, groping or deliberately brushing into someone. It can also happen online, on social media and via mobile phones.

It can make the person it happens to feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or ashamed, and even intimidated – or some or all of these.

Sexual harassment most commonly happens to women but it can happen to anyone of any age, gender or sexual orientation.

But isn’t it just banter?

It can be easy to think that some of these behaviours are just ‘normal’ parts of life.

But none of them are acceptable or inevitable, and no one should feel like they just have to put up with them.

Everyone deserves to have their personal boundaries respected.

Dismissing sexual harassment or sexual behaviour that makes someone feel uncomfortable as only “banter”, “just having a laugh”, or “boys being boys” is not okay.

Equally, deliberately crossing the line and making someone uncomfortable is not okay either – whether it is because of something you’ve said, or something you’ve done. Unwanted sexual comments or sexual behaviour towards someone without their permission is wrong and can be illegal.

If you are worried about sexual harassment, you can find help here, and you can find out more about the types of sexual harassment here.

SIGNS TO SPOT HARASSMENT

What are the types of sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment can take many forms, and none of them are okay. Here are some examples, but it’s important to remember that this is not an exhaustive list.

Sexual harassment can include:

• Unwanted sexual comments, such as: telling sexual stories about someone, making dirty comments to them, making sexual remarks about someone’s clothes and/or appearance and calling someone sexualised names;

• Sexual ‘jokes’ or taunting/teasing;

• Physical behaviour, such as: deliberately brushing or rubbing against someone, interfering with someone’s clothing, displaying pictures/photos/drawings of a sexual nature, touching, groping or grabbing someone’s private parts, bottom or breasts;

• Online sexual harassment, such as: inappropriate sexual comments on social media, sharing explicit images & videos with someone who doesn’t want to see them or hasn’t given permission for them to be shared, and threatening behaviour online;

• Taking pictures underneath someone’s clothing; ‘upskirting’ (taking a photo underneath someone’s skirt)

Sexual harassment can be carried out by one person against another person, by a group of people against one other person, or by a group against another group of people. It most commonly happens to women, but it can happen to anyone and be committed by anyone.

All sexual harassment is serious, none of it is okay and some actions are illegal.

CONSEQUENCES OF HARASSMENT

What are the consequences of ignoring personal boundaries?

If you don’t respect someone’s personal boundaries or if you cross the line into harassment, you could make them feel uncomfortable, embarrassed, upset and even intimidated.

What you might think is just a joke can still upset someone and be considered harassment, so it is important to be sensitive to how your words and actions are being received by the other person.

What are the consequences of sexual harassment?

If you deliberately disregard someone’s personal boundaries or set out to make someone uncomfortable with sexual words or actions, the consequences can be serious and can include getting in trouble with the police.

Sexual harassment can overlap with sexual violence and displays some similar behaviour such as ignoring what someone is communicating to you with their words or body language, unwanted sexual contact, and applying pressure around sexual acts.

Remember:

• If somebody has sex, or does anything sexual with someone without gaining consent, they are committing a crime.

• Sex without consent is rape or sexual abuse.

• In the UK, people must be over 16 to be able to legally consent to sex

• Creating, sending or sharing sexual pictures or videos of someone who is under 18 is illegal. This includes under 18s making and sharing sexual images and videos of themselves.

You can read more about the definition of rape and sexual assault here and more about consent here.

You can read more about nude pictures here.

If you or someone you know is having any issues involving Relationships or Consent please speak to any member of staff or the safeguarding team immediately.

Students have direct access to Relationships and Consent information, support and advice on our Student Services Site (please show the site to your learners and share the links)