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Identifying bullying and harassment
There are a number of terms we use that you need to be familiar with.
For more definitions of EDI-related terms, please see our glossary − The ABC of EDI
Active bystander
Someone who is aware of inappropriate or threatening behaviour and chooses to challenge, intervene, or offer help.
Ally / allyship
Someone who works to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people from a marginalised community, although they do not identify as a member of this community.
Bullying
The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal, or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online.
[Source: Anti-bullying Alliance]
Bystander
A person who witnesses an event. They are not involved in the event; they are not a victim or perpetrator. We have all been bystanders at some point in our lives!
Bystander intervention
The step that a bystander takes to stop or intervene before, after, or during an inappropriate event.
Culture
Shared attitudes, values, beliefs, practices, goals, aesthetic standards, linguistic expression, patterns of thinking, behavioural norms, and styles of communication which a group of people have developed to assure its survival in a particular environment and characterise a group.
Discrimination
The unequal treatment of members of various groups based on race, gender, social class, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, national origin, age, physical/mental abilities, and other categories that may result in differences in provision of goods, services, or opportunities.
Exclusionary behaviour
An act that shuns, ignores, or harasses a person.
Harassment
Unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for that individual.
[Source: Equality Act 2010]
Marginalised / marginalisation
The process by which minority groups / cultures are excluded, ignored, or relegated to the outer edge of a group / society / community. A tactic used to devalue those that vary from the norm of the mainstream, sometimes to the point of denigrating them as deviant and regressive.
Micro-aggression
Brief, everyday exchanges that send denigrating messages to certain individuals because of their group membership.
Micro-assault
Deliberate and intentional slights or insults that are meant to hurt the intended victim through name-calling, avoidant behaviour, and purposeful discriminatory actions.
Micro-behaviour
Small, often unconscious gestures, facial expressions, postures, words, and tone of voice that can influence how included (or excluded) the people around us feel.
Micro-insult
Verbal and nonverbal communications that subtly convey rudeness and insensitivity and demean a person's racial heritage or identity. This could be assuming that someone isn't smart based on their appearance or implying that certain groups / people don't have morals. They might even be used to suggest that someone doesn't belong.
Micro-invalidation
Comments or behaviours that invalidate or undermine the experiences of a marginalised group.
Othering
The act of treating someone as though they are not part of a group and are different in some way.
Protected characteristic
The Equality Act 2010 specifies nine features which, for the advancement of equality of opportunity, are afforded protection from discrimination, harassment, and victimisation. The specific attributes safeguarded are: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Psychological safety
Feeling safe to take interpersonal risks, to speak up, to disagree openly, to surface concerns without fear of negative repercussions or pressure to sugarcoat bad news.
Safe space
A place or environment in which a person or category of people can feel confident that they will not be exposed to discrimination, criticism, harassment, or any other emotional or physical harm.
Sexual harassment
Occurs when someone is engaging in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature and the conduct has the purpose or effect of either violating the other person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for them. Sexual harassment can include many behaviours.
[Source: Equality Act 2010]
Unconscious bias
Negative associations expressed automatically that people unknowingly hold. Occurs when someone may stereotype or hold preconceived notions about other individuals based on personal or learned experiences.
Victimisation
Occurs when an individual is singled out for unfair treatment or discrimination as a result of making a complaint / grievance, threatening to make a complaint / grievance, or supporting a complaint / grievance made by a third party.
Workplace culture
The regular attitudes and behaviours that feed into the atmosphere and performance of a workplace. A healthy workplace culture occurs when the organisation’s policies and ethos align with employees’ beliefs and behaviours, maintaining good performance and employee wellbeing.
