Bullying and Harassment
Acts of violence or any behaviour that leaves you feeling harassed, bullied, intimidated, abused or discriminated against are not acceptable. You have a right to feel safe at University. The University have policies in place to deal with instances of this nature. There are also other ways to report and receive support for any incident affecting you.
I am being discriminated against, bullied or harassed. How can I seek help?
All students have the right to study in an environment which is free from harassment, discrimination and bullying. Allegations of harassment and bullying will be treated very seriously by the University and may result in disciplinary action being taken against the perpetrator.
Discrimination, bullying or harassment can be online (via social media and email), as well as face-to-face. If you feel you have experienced discrimination, bullying, or harassment, there are a number of ways you can both report the incident, as well as seek support for yourself.
The University’s definition of harassment is ‘any unwanted conduct which causes an individual to experience alarm or distress’. Bullying is characterised by the University as being ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.’
Reporting [+]
To the Police
If you consider yourself to be under physical threat or at serious risk of harm, you should always contact the police in the first instance. To make a report to the police you can call 101 or in an emergency 999. You can also report an incident online here.
To the University
The University has a Policy which you can follow if you have been subject to any form of harassment or bullying. Please note that this is separate to reporting an incident to the police and does not constitute reporting a crime. More information about how to make a complaint of this type is available here.
Anonymously to Pincident
You can also report the incident on our anonymous online reporting tool, Pincident. The tool maps street harassment, violence and discrimination in Durham City Centre to help us more effectively tackle this behaviour. It is not a formal reporting service and not a replacement for the above options. Find out more about Pincident here.
Support [+]
If you feel you have been a victim of harassment or bullying, it is recommended that you seek support in the first instance. You can seek support from:
The University
The University operate a network of Harassment Contacts who can be approached by students. These contacts are there to listen, support and explain what options are available to you. A list of Harassment Contacts is available here.
Your college
You can also approach your college support office for general guidance on what to do if you have been subject to any instances of harassment or bullying. Your college will be able to help, particularly if the instance of harassment has occurred within the college, as they may have college-specific procedures that you can follow.
University Counselling Service
For instances in which you feel your studies or wellbeing are being impacted by any form of harassment or bullying, you should contact the University Counselling Service. Find more information here.
The Students’ Union
Independent support is also available to students through the Help and Advice Service at the Students’ Union. If you would like to seek support from the Students’ Union, please complete our confidential Advice Intake Form.
Nightline
If you would like to talk to another student confidentially, Nightline is a student-run, non-directive, non-advisory listening service open every night of term between 21:00 and 07:00. You can find their number on their website, the back of your campus card or contact them through messenger on their website.
Page last reviewed: 28/03/2019
