Student Harassment and Sexual Misconduct | The University of Sunderland

At the University of Sunderland, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment where all members of our community—students, staff, and visitors—can thrive. We believe that everyone has the right to study, work, and live free from harassment, sexual misconduct, and all forms of discrimination.

There is no place for any form of harassment, hate or sexual misconduct at our University.

This Statement sets out our positive aims and commitments to protect our students and staff from all forms of harassment and sexual misconduct from other students, staff or visitors.

We define harassment and sexual misconduct in line with the Equality Act 2010 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

Harassment is a form of unacceptable, unwanted behaviour. It refers to any behaviour or conduct which intends to, or has the effect of, violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment, for one or more individuals.

Harassment takes place on more than one occasion and may escalate in terms of seriousness.

Sexual misconduct means any unwanted or attempted unwanted conduct of a sexual nature and includes, but is not limited to:

a) sexual harassment: the unwanted behaviour by one or more people against one or more others that violates the dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile degrading or offensive environment for the person or people experiencing it. The unacceptable behaviour which amounts to sexual harassment can take many forms and be based on a person’s sex, sexual orientation or gender reassignment.

b) sexual assault: intentionally touching another person sexually without their consent. This act is a form of sexual violence or abuse because it occurs without the explicit agreement of the person subjected to it.

c) rape: the vaginal, anal or oral penetration of a person by the penis of another, without their consent.

Our definitions include harassment and sexual misconduct through any medium, including, for example, online. We recognise the profound impact such behaviours can have on individuals and the wider community.

Our commitment includes:

Embedded approach: we will implement a systemic approach to tackle harassment and sexual misconduct, which is embedded within our governance structures. This will include Board of Governors and University Executive oversight for this agenda.
Commitment to a safe and respectful environment: We are deeply committed to fostering a safe and respectful environment, actively promoting clear standards of conduct and ensuring that we take a proactive and proportionate response to unwanted behaviour. We work with our Students’ Union, Trade Unions and other stakeholders to deliver a clear and consistent message to students, staff and visitors that harassment and sexual misconduct will not be tolerated.
Clear policies and procedures: We maintain a single, accessible source of information outlining our policies, procedures, and support mechanisms. This is regularly reviewed and updated to ensure clarity, transparency and accountability.
Support and reporting: We provide confidential, specialist support for anyone affected. We encourage reporting and ensure that all disclosures are taken seriously and handled with sensitivity.
Education and prevention: Through training, awareness campaigns, and community engagement, we aim to prevent harassment and sexual misconduct and promote a culture of respect and consent.
Staff-student relationships: We take credible steps to manage risks arising from intimate relationships between staff and students, recognising the potential for conflicts of interest and abuse of power.
Continuous improvement: We are committed to listening to our students and staff to both learn and evolve our practices to ensure the highest standards of safety and wellbeing for our community.

This Statement reflects our values and our unwavering commitment to upholding the dignity and rights of every individual at the University of Sunderland.

Approved by: Board of Governors
Date: July 2025

Harassment

Harassment is a form of unacceptable, unwanted behaviour. It refers to any behaviour or conduct which intends to, or has the effect of, violating another person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment, for one or more individuals.

Harassment takes place on more than one occasion and may escalate in terms of seriousness.

Sexual misconduct

Sexual misconduct means any unwanted or attempted unwanted conduct of a sexual
nature and includes, but is not limited to:

sexual harassment: the unwanted behaviour by one or more people against one or more others that violates the dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading or offensive environment for the person or people experiencing it. The unacceptable behaviour which amounts to sexual harassment can take many forms and be based on a person’s sex, sexual orientation or gender reassignment.
sexual assault: intentionally touching another person sexually without their consent. This act is a form of sexual violence or abuse because it occurs without the explicit agreement of the person subjected to it.
rape: the vaginal, anal or oral penetration of a person by the penis of another, without their consent.

Our definitions include harassment and sexual misconduct through any medium, including, for example, online. See live examples in the University Policy on Student Conduct.

We provide confidential, specialist support for anyone affected. We encourage reporting and ensure that all disclosures are taken seriously and handled with sensitivity.

If you have experienced or witnessed an incident of harassment, you can safely and confidentially report this incident to the university via the Report + Support portal.

Submissions can be made anonymously or with contact details to receive tailored follow-up support from our Student Wellbeing experts. We will record the information provided and use it to identify issues on campus or in the wider community. Where appropriate, we will share some of this information with our partners, like the police or transport companies.

Your information remains confidential until you choose to disclose it otherwise. This will only change if you tell us that you or someone else is in immediate danger and we need to keep you or them safe. If you are in immediate danger, do not hesitate to contact the emergency services by calling 999.

If you have submitted a report with your contact details, you will be contacted directly by our Student Support team. You can choose how you would like us to contact you, such as email, phone or a face-to-face meeting.

We have a dedicated Wellbeing team, which is made up of specialist professional advisers. All of our advisers have the training to provide direct support to students with their emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing or help students access the resources that they need.

We also have partnerships with external providers to ensure students can access psychoeducation content and ongoing counselling when needed. Wellbeing services can be accessed in a range of ways, including a confidential appointment by phone, email or face-to-face.

If you choose to submit a report with your contact details, you'll be contacted by our Serious Incident Adviser, who will advise on what happens next. They will discuss with you any available options and explain your different reporting options. Your safety and wellbeing are the most important things to talk about, and you'll not be under any pressure to make any formal reports if you don’t want to.

Your information remains confidential until you decide otherwise, and this will only change if you tell us that you or someone else is in immediate danger and we need to keep you or them safe.

We ensure that our service is non-judgmental and helps to empower you to make the best decision for you. We will not make decisions for you, but provide you with the information and tools to support you in making your own decisions.

Local support:

The Angel Centre – Sexual Assault Referral Centre
The Angel Centre SARC provides a range of services including medical care, emotional support, and practical advice for people who have experienced sexual violence. The Angel Centre is there for anyone living within Northumbria. (Sunderland, South Tyneside, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside or Northumberland.)
Call: 0330 223 0099 (24/7/365)
Email: angelcentre.sarc@nhs.net (monitored Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.

Sunderland Counselling Service
Sunderland Counselling Service provides professional counselling for a wide range of issues, offering a safe and confidential space to talk.
Call: 0191 514 7007
Email: office@sunderlandcounselling.org.uk (monitored Monday, Tuesday and Thursday: 9am–7.30 pm, Wednesday: 9am–4.30pm; Friday: 9am–4pm).

Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland
Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland offers specialist support services for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence, including a helpline, counselling, and advocacy.
Helpline: 0800 035 2794 (Monday to Thursday, 6pm–8.30pm)
Call: 0191 222 0272
Email: enquiries@rctn.org.uk

National Support:

Citizens Advice provides some information if you’re being bullied or harassed at work.
The Samaritans provide emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide throughout the UK and Ireland. Call 116 123, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Tell Mama measures anti-Muslim hate crimes and harassment.
Stop Hate UK offer support to victims of hate crime.
Mermaids have been helping gender-diverse kids, young people and their families since 1995.
The Havens specialist support for people who have been raped or sexually assaulted. For urgent advice and appointments, please call 020 3299 6900.
Solace provides advice and support for women for domestic abuse and sexual violence.
Galop is a charity that supports lesbian, gay, bi, trans and queer people affected by sexual and domestic violence.
Changing Faces is the UK’s leading charity for everyone with a scar, mark or condition on their face or body that makes them look different.
Survivors UK offer information, support and counselling for men and boys who have been raped or sexually abused.
Mencap is the leading voice of learning disability.
Deaf Plus offers a wide range of services to our clients to develop their potential and promote independence and wellbeing.
Community Security Trust is a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and related threats.

We are committed to investigating all sexual misconduct and harassment cases with sensitivity and fairness. Our Student Casework Team operates on the principle of no presumption of wrongdoing or blame against any person from the start of, and up to the completion of, an investigation. Every investigation carried out is evidence-based and upholds the principles of ‘natural justice’ – treating all parties with fairness, respect and carrying out the investigation independently and without influence. We take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and dignity of everyone throughout the investigation.

Our Student Casework Team coordinates the investigation of reports made by students of harassment or sexual misconduct alleged to have been carried out by other university students and staff. Paragraphs 9.6 to 9.14 of the Shared Principles and Requirements Policy sets out the approach taken by the Student Casework Team to handling allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct. In particular, this points to several key policies:

Student Complaints Policy which sets out the steps taken when an allegation of harassment and sexual misconduct is raised, including when and how an investigation would be launched

Student General Misconduct Policy which sets out the approach towards students who have been alleged to have harassed or committed sexual misconduct against another student, staff member or member of the public. This is in line with the University's common definition of harassment and sexual misconduct, reinforced in paragraph 2.2 of the University Policy on Student Conduct.

Where allegations are made against members of staff, these will be investigated under the Human Resources (HR) Department’s Staff Disciplinary Procedure, in conjunction with the Student Casework Team who will continue to work with, and support the student(s) who made the allegation. An overview of how this is managed is provided in paragraph 3.5 of the Student Complaints Policy.

We are committed to upholding the highest standards of professional conduct in all interactions between staff and students. We recognise the potentially problematic and serious nature of personal relationships that can arise particularly where the staff member has or could reasonably be expected to have responsibility for or have a position of power or influence over the student. Therefore, staff are expected to acknowledge, respect, and maintain appropriate boundaries in all contexts.

We have a long-standing policy on staff-student relationships, which is continually reviewed in consultation with colleagues and relevant representatives to ensure legal compliance and adherence to best practice.

We expect that staff will not initiate or pursue an intimate personal relationship with a student during their enrolment at the University, unless appropriate exceptions apply. This policy also extends to third-party staff with professional or supervisory responsibilities involving University of Sunderland students.

Exceptions may apply only where:

The relationship predates the student’s enrolment or the staff member’s role, or
There is no professional influence or conflict of interest.

A link to the full Staff-Student Relationships Policy will be made available in the near future.

The University would never prevent or restrict current or former students from disclosing information about an allegation to other parties internal or external to the University, whether this be in the form of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) such as a formal contract or less formal exchanges requiring, or advising a student or former student to not disclose the circumstances or particulars of an allegation.

We provide a collection of required training modules for all students to help them understand what harassment and sexual misconduct are, how to report an incident, and how to become an active bystander.

These modules are significant in helping us establish a safer, more respectful and supportive university together.

Module 1 explores what consent truly means in all areas of life, not just in intimate situations. You'll learn that consent is about freedom, clear choices, and mutual agreement in everything from conversations to relationships. We also explore how to recognise consent, understand the importance of agency, and communicate effectively. This module also helps identify what harassment looks like and how power and cultural differences can influence consent, ensuring everyone feels safe, heard, and valued.

Module 2 empowers you to make a positive difference in the community, learning to recognise harmful behaviours and understand how they can escalate if not addressed.

Module 3 provides essential information on the University of Sunderland's commitment to preventing and responding to harassment and sexual misconduct. You'll learn key definitions, understand the University's approach to fostering a safe environment, and discover how to effectively use the Report + Support platform to report your experiences and access support services.

We are committed to taking steps that will make a significant and credible difference to protecting students from harassment and sexual misconduct, and learning from allegations and incidents where they do occur. These include:

Analysing and publishing data on use of our Report + Support reporting platform.
Continuing to share data on harassment and sexual misconduct incidents, including lessons learned and the improvements we've made. This information is reviewed by our Safeguarding and Prevent Group and also included in an annual report to the Board of Governors.
Evaluating the effectiveness of our online training for students and staff. Based on these results, we make improvements to the training as needed.
Working closely with the Students' Union at our Sunderland and London campuses to update our student policies on harassment and sexual misconduct. We also gather student feedback through various channels, including Student Voice Representatives, Student Community Officers (in faculties and at our London Campus), and through formal university committees.