1. Harassment is...
- any unwanted or uninvited remarks, gestures, sounds or actions of a persistent nature that make a person feel unsafe, degraded or uncomfortable.
It includes...
- any overt, subtle verbal or written comments or any physical conduct which places pressure on, ridicules, degrades, or expresses hatred
Any of the above behaviours based on...
- a person's appearance, abilities, gender or sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, cultural background, place of birth, religion, citizenship or ancestry
2. Examples of Harassment:
-unwanted, unwelcome physical contact like touching, grabbing or patting
-sexual gossip
-obscene phone calls
-rude jokes or suggestive remarks of a sexual nature
-demeaning nicknames
-catcalls, rating or embarrassing whistles
-stalking
-graffiti
-threats, abuse or assault
-sexually insulting remarks about race, culture, ability or class
3. Harassment is NOT:
-a hug between friends\
-mutual flirtation
-sincere personal compliments
4. What to do if you are harassed:
-do not ignore it, it will not go away
-tell someone about the incident, eg. a friend, a teacher, counsellor, parent, trusted adult
-keep a diary or a written record of the incidents of harassment
-if possible, tell the person who is harassing you to stop
-keep yourself safe
5. Consequences of being harassed:
-Do not blame yourself. One myth is that you are somehow to blame. This is not true. No one asks to be harassed. You are not responsible for the harasser's behaviour.
