Harassment generally involves conduct, comments or displays that make you feel intimidated, humiliated, offended, embarrassed, belittled, degraded, or otherwise causes offence. Examples of harassment may include:
- unwelcome remarks, jokes, nicknames, innuendo, or taunting
- written or verbal abuse or threats
- racial slurs
- displays that may cause offence
- use of terminology that reinforces stereotypes
- vandalism or physical assaults
- condescending or patronising behaviour that undermines self respect or adversely affects performance or working conditions.
If you are being harassed, you may:
- experience an inability to concentrate
- miss information in class
- be fearful for your physical safety
- not feel confident to speak in class if the harasser is in the same class
- not feel confident to access resources around the campus in case you bump into the harasser
- experience stress and anxiety that may lead to illness and can affect all your relationships
- feel that you can't come to classes and withdraw from study altogether.
TAFE SA is responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment, and must deal with a harassment issue effectively and immediately if it arises. If you are being harassed in class and you feel comfortable to, speak to your lecturer. You can also discuss the problem with a student counsellor, who can offer you information about the Student Complaint Resolution Policy and your options for dealing with the complaint.
If the harassment is serious and continues despite your efforts to deal with it, you may need intervention such as mediation or an investigation, which may result in disciplinary action against the harasser. The student services officer can assist you with lodging a formal complaint if this is necessary.
See also: