Definition Of Harassment And Bullying

Although bullying and harassment are often used interchangeably when talking about hurtful or harmful behavior and the behavior may look the same there are important distinctions in the definition laws and protections for students experiencing harassment.

Definition of harassment and bullying. Examples of bullying or harassing behaviour include. Either harris meant or huh rass meant n. Bullying may inflict harm or distress including physical psychological social or educational harm. However bullying may not be unlawful under federal or state anti discrimination laws unless it is linked to or based on one of the characteristics covered by these laws such as the person s age sex race or disability.

Bullying can be direct or indirect verbal social relational or physical. The purposes may vary including racial prejudice personal malice an attempt to force someone to quit a job or grant sexual favors apply illegal pressure to. Many people refer to bullying as harassment or discrimination. What is unlikely to constitute bullying harassment or discrimination.

Because it is less obvious it is often unacknowledged by adults. Covert bullying sometimes referred to as indirect bullying is less direct but just as painful. Harassment is similar to bullying because someone hurts another person through cruel offensive and insulting behaviours harassment is different from bullying in that it is a form of discrimination. The australian human rights commission accepts complaints of workplace bullying harassment or discrimination based on a person s race sex age sexual orientation religion or disability under federal laws.

Harassment intimidation and bullying means any gesture written or verbal expression electronic communication or physical act that a reasonable person should know will harm another student damage another student s property place another student in reasonable fear of harm to the student s person or to disrupt or interfere with the school s educational mission or the education of any. When bullying is also harassment it does break federal law. Bullying and harassment is behaviour that makes someone feel intimidated or offended. The first difference is in the definitions of bullying and harassment.

The ahrc uses conciliation between parties to reach a resolution. There is no federal anti bullying law but some states do have anti bullying legislation. Harassment is unlawful under the equality act 2010. It means bullying which isn t easily seen by others and is conducted out of sight such as excluding people from groups or spreading lies or rumours.