Definition and examples

[ch 4: page 35]

The policy should include a clear definition of workplace sexual harassment. Many policies use the Equality Act 2010 definition which describes sexual harassment as “any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature occurring with the purposes or effect of violating the dignity of a person, in particular when creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment".

Typical examples of sexual harassment included in the policies seen by LRD are:

• physical behaviour, including unwelcome sexual advances, touching and various forms of sexual assault;

• asking intimate, personal questions/ being suggestive;

• inappropriate comments about the way someone looks or dresses;

• lewd gestures;

• the display of material with sexual overtones (even if not directed at the complainant);

• deliberately ignoring someone and subjecting them to silent treatment perhaps because they have rejected advances;

• written harassment — personal letters, “joke” verses on notice-boards or walls, offensive emails, texts;

• coercion of any kind, such as persistently asking for a date;

• spreading malicious rumours; and

• victimisation (i.e. treating someone less favourably) because they have made a complaint of harassment or helped someone else to do so.