Bullying and harassment are contrary to the Equality Act 2010 and the University's Dignity at Cranfield Policy.
Think
- Are you in immediate danger? If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, you can contact the emergency services on 999 (or 112 from a mobile phone).
- Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened try and find somewhere you feel safe.
- What are bullying and harassment? It might be useful to think about what is meant by bullying and harassment and how these behaviours are described.
Report
- Report and Support. Students and staff can report an incident using the University’s Report and Support system. You can choose to do this anonymously or you can provide your contact details so that an advisor can contact you to talk through the options and support available to you.
- University procedure. If you choose to make a formal complaint to the University about a student or member of staff, there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow:
- Student complaints handbook
- Staff complaints: you can find out more about our grievance process through our Ordinances - Part B Staff Matters.
- Dignity at Cranfield Advisor - an advisor can talk through the University's procedures, how to make a complaint and what support is available, in confidence. Advisors can talk to someone who is experiencing something, or someone who is supporting that person.
- Take care of yourself. It’s important that you take care of yourself. If you’ve heard something distressing or if something is troubling you, the University's Student Wellbeing and Disability Support and People and Culture teams offer confidential help to students and staff.
- Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Team - members of staff can talk to the EDI Team for further advice on bullying and harassment.
Seeking external support
There are a number of organisations that provide specialist support, including counselling for those affected by harassment. A list of organisations can be found here:
- ACAS - the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) has a number of accessible online resources regarding bullying and harassment at work.
- Education Support Partnership - they are a UK-based charity dedicated to improving the wellbeing and mental health of workers in Further and Higher Education. They offer free, confidential help and support.
- National Bullying Helpline - they provide further information on bullying as well as suggestions on how to deal with bullying.
- Samaritans - they can provide support and information if you are having a difficult time, are struggling to cope or if you are worried about someone else. They have a team of volunteers who are available to be contacted any time through their Helpline: 116 123. This number is free to call from both landlines and mobiles, including pay-as-you-go mobiles. You can also email them through: jo@samaritans.org.
- Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) provides further information on unlawful harassment and hate crime.
Mental health and wellbeing