Harassment and Complaints

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What is bullying and harassment?

Harassment consists of engaging in unwanted and unwarranted conduct which has the purpose or effect of:

  • Violating another person’s dignity, or
  • Creating an intimidating hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for another person.
  • The recipient does not need to have explicitly stated that the behaviour was unwanted.

Bullying may be characterized as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate, or injure the recipient.

The full university policy definition can be found here

If you are being bullied or harassed, help is available.

Who Can help?

Anyone (Undergraduates, Graduates, Administrative or Academic Staff) can speak privately to one of the Faculty Harassment Advisors.  They will help you to work out next steps and who to talk to, whatever you are experiencing, and whether it is happening in a Faculty or a College situation. If you wish to speak to someone outside the History Faculty, you can contact the University Harassment Advisor Network by emailing harassment.line@admin.ox.ac.uk

History Faculty Harassment Advisors

You are welcome to contact the History Faculty Harassment Advisors for a confidential discussion about any concerns.

cd people sloan mahone

 

Sloan Mahone (She/Her)

Contact: sloan.mahone@history.ox.ac.uk 

I am happy to speak with any staff or students who have concerns about a range of equality and diversity issues, including those related to LGBTQ, disability or neurodiversity. I am also happy to answer questions about Faculty and University procedures for pursuing informal or formal complaints of harassment or to offer support for anyone who would like to have a confidential discussion.

Particular areas:

  • LGBTQ
  • Disability
  • Neurodiversity
cd people maria misra

Maria Misra (She/Her)

Contact: anna-maria.misra@keble.ox.ac.uk 

I have taught at Oxford for many years and I’m happy to talk confidentially to any colleagues, staff, graduates and undergraduates about any form of harassment they have experienced and discuss possible options from pursuing formal complaints to informal resolutions.

Particular areas:

  • Gender
  • Racism
conrad leyser

Conrad Leyser (He/him)

Contact: conrad.leyser@worc.ox.ac.uk

In my role as a Harassment Officer for the History Faculty, I would be glad to talk to staff or students about equality and diversity, especially issues related to gender and sexuality. I offer advice and support on how to lodge informal or formal complaints of harassment.

Particular areas:

  • Gender
  • Sexuality

 

Your College will also have Harassment Officers and a Welfare Team who offer support to both undergraduates and graduates.

What can you expect?

  • You will be listened to without judgement
  • You will be believed
  • You will be advised as to where to find further support
  • You will be advised as to possible next steps

What is sexual harassment and sexual violence?

Sexual Harassment and Violence is any unwanted sexual behaviour which takes place without consent, whether someone knows the person or not. It may happen online for example on social media, via email or messaging.

Sexual harassment and violence can include:

  • Catcalling, wolf-whistling, leering, unwanted comments or jokes about a person’s body, clothing or sex life
  • Stalking someone or following them (in person or online)
  • Unwanted physical contact, such as groping, sexual assault, abuse or rape
  • Relationship abuse
  • Unwelcome sexual requests
  • Non-consensual photos like up-skirting or sharing of explicit material.

Sexual harassment is usually directed at an individual, but it's not always the case. Sometimes there can be a culture of sexual harassment in a workplace or group that's not specifically aimed at one person. Someone could still make a complaint of sexual harassment in this situation.

If you have been the victim of sexual harassment and/or violence, help is available.

Who can help?

What can you expect?

  • You will be listened to without judgement
  • You will be believed
  • You will be advised as to where to find further support
  • You will be advised as to possible next steps

Academic Complaints - Who can help?

Undergraduates: If you want to comment on or make a complaint about class teaching, lectures, or course content you can:

If you want to comment on or make a complaint about tutorial teaching in your own College or from a tutor at another college, you should contact the Senior Tutor or Academic Dean/Registrar of your own College.

 

Graduates: if you want to comment on or make a complaint about class teaching, course content, or a supervisor, you can:

 

The Student Resolution Service can support you in the case of conflict between students.

 

If you want to take a complaint about academic services (teaching or supervision) and non-academic matters (support services, accommodation, clubs and societies) to University level, you should complain to the Proctors Office.

Harassment Complaints - Who can help?

If you want to make a complaint of harassment, you should refer to the Harassment Procedure flowchart for Students below.

 

https://ohh.web.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/ohh/documents/media/harrassmentflowchartstudents.pdf

University Complaints Policies and Procedures

These are detailed and complex documents, here just for reference. You do not need to have a detailed understanding of them in order to make a complaint. If you go forward with a complaint, someone will help you interpret and understand the relevant policies and their implications for you.