This is a type of discrimination that is illegal, and is considered by the university to be any action that has the purpose or effect of violating a person's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, threatening or offensive environment that interferes with their learning, working or social environment, on or off campus.
Differences of attitude, background or culture (and the misinterpretation of social signals) that lead to the perception of harassment are still considered under these rules. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs is not an excuse.
Any act of harassment that involves the abuse of a position of authority or trust will be regarded as very serious and could constitute gross misconduct.
Harassment because of sexual orientation
This includes actual or perceived (on the part of the receiver) harassment and can include harassing someone because of their actual or perceived (on the part of the perpetrator) sexual orientation or harassment because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation of those with whom they associate.
Here are some (but not all) forms of harassment because of sexual orientation:
- Comments or gestures that emphasise sexual orientation
- Shouting insults or making threats that are homophobic or biphobic
- Making homophobic or biphobic jokes
- Outing an individual without their permission
- Ignoring or excluding someone because they are gay, lesbian or bisexual
- Spreading rumours about someone's actual or perceived sexual orientation
- Asking someone about their sexuality in an intrusive or unwelcome way
- Verbally or physically abusing someone because of their sexual orientation
Harassment because of gender identity, expression and/or history
It is illegal to discriminate against someone who "has proposed, started or completed the process to change his or her sex" (commonly known as "gender reassignment"). The university's policy goes beyond this and protects all of those individuals whose gender identity does not align with those assumptions made about their sex at birth including those who are transgender, genderqueer, intersex and any other term they wish to use.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment because of gender identity, expression and/or history:
- Refusing to address someone by their preferred name and pronoun
- Repeated and deliberate mis-gendering of someone
- Stopping, or questioning someone about, using the appropriate toilet or changing room facility of their choice
- Making transphobic jokes or comments
- Outing an individual without their permission
- Spreading rumours
Harassment because of race
In a multi-cultural community such as the University of East London, harassment because of race will not be tolerated. It is also an illegal form of discrimination and is considered a hate crime. Any behaviour that negatively affects someone on the grounds of race, ethnicity or national origin is covered.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment because of race:
- Derogatory name-calling or racial slurs
- Racist gestures
- Insults, threats or racist jokes
- Racist graffiti, images or insignia
- Mocking someone's appearance or clothing
- Ignoring or excluding someone because of their race, ethnicity or national origin
Harassment because of religion or belief
There are a variety of religions practiced on the campuses of the University of East London and everyone should be free to do so without harassment. Nobody should be harassed because they have, or do not have, a religious belief or practise.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment because of religion or belief:
- Teasing or mocking someone because of a particular belief or religion
- Persistently asking intrusive questions about someone's religion or belief
- Ignoring or excluding someone because of a religious belief they do or do not have
- Verbally or physically abusing someone because of a religion or belief
Harassment because of disability
There are people on our campuses with a wide variety of physical, emotional and cognitive abilities and all are welcomed and appropriate adjustments are made in order for everyone to study and work with us.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment because of disability:
- Direct verbal abuse or comments that make a disabled person feel uncomfortable, intimidated or degraded.
- Excluding a disabled person from activities without consultation
- Refusing to consider reasonable adjustments that would enable a disabled person to take part in an activity
- Refusing to consider dietary requests
- Physically moving a disabled person when they have not requested you to do so
Harassment because of age
People of all ages study and work at the University of East London and that means there is a wide variety of experiences and this adds great value to our community. No-one should be harassed or discriminated against because of the age they are.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment because of age:
- Direct verbal abuse or comments about age that make someone feel uncomfortable, intimidated or degraded
- Unjustified exclusion of someone because of their age
- Making ageist jokes or comments
- Using inappropriate language or phrases related to age (e.g. "over the hill" or "wet behind the ears")
Harassment or bullying via social media and other electronic means
Harassment or bullying via any electronic means is also unacceptable; this includes the use of any social media websites or apps as well as text message and email.
Here are some (but not all) examples of harassment or bullying via social media or other electronic forms:
- Creating or using pages that identify and shame people
- Images altered to degrade people
- Posting photos or videos of harassment or bullying taking place
- Sharing personal information to blackmail or harass someone
- Repeatedly targeting someone with unwanted friend requests and/or messages
- Non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit images
If you:
- Experience serious assault or sexual violence and are hurt or in danger,
- Witness a serious assault or sexual violence and the person involved is hurt or in danger,
then you must seek help immediately. If you are on campus then you should report it to the university in the first instance and they will call the emergency services if necessary.
If you are on
- Docklands campus contact Security in the East Building, either in person or by calling extension 5599 or 0208 223 5599
- Stratford campus contact Security in the CC Building, either in person or by calling extension 4073 or 0208 223 4073
- USS campus contact Security by the Reception desk either in person or by calling extension 7888 or 0208 223 7888
If it is a non-emergency then you can report it online, and someone will contact you within 3 working days, or you may decide to report an incident anonymously. This means that the incident will be logged for statistical purposes, however we are unable to take any direct action on anonymous reports.
You can find links to UEL and external support services here.
You can find links to UEL and external support services here.