Discrimination or harassment

People can experience discrimination when accessing goods and services, and in the workplace. Discrimination is unlawful if it is on grounds of sex, race or disability, and in the workplace. It is also unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation and religion/belief. And from October 2006 it will be unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of age.

Discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than others have been or would have been because of their sex, race, disability etc. Discrimination when accessing goods or services may be related to visiting shops or restaurants or other services. It may also be related to using public services. Discrimination may be about being refused a services or being given a worse service. Discrimination in the workplace may be about being denied the opportunity of promotion or not being offered a job. It may also be when you are treated differently to your colleagues or if you experience harassment.

Harassment

Harassment is when you receive unwanted conduct related to any of the above grounds which takes place with the purpose or effect of infringing your dignity and creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

Harassment may be unwanted comments or remarks on a one off basis or it may be a series of incidents and can sometimes be a sustained campaign. In some circumstances harassment may involve physical contact. If you experience physical violence this may be assault and should be reported to the police or to a Hate Crime reporting centre (see below).

An employer may be liable for the actions of its employees, or other third parties if they are in a position to control the situation or take remedial action. If they do not do so then you may have valid claim against them and against the individual who has discriminated/harassed you.

Harassment may be a form of bullying. Bullying can happen anywhere: in the workplace, at school, in society or a home. Bullying is not always related to one of the grounds already mentioned.

Areas of UK law that apply to harassment

The principal areas of UK law relating to harassment comprise:

Sex Discrimination Act 1975: discrimination on the grounds of sex by dismissing an employee or submitting them to any other detriment
Race Relations Act 1976: ditto on racial grounds
Disability Discrimination Act 1995: ditto on grounds of disability
Protection from Harassment Act 1996: harassment and stalking
Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994: intentional harassment for causing another person harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour
Criminal law of assault

Bully Online is the world's largest resource on bullying and related issues.

Follow the link for information about the protection of vulnerable adults in Coventry.

The Council is supporting a Discrimination Awareness Campaign being run by Coventry Law Centre. For further information please visit Coventry Law Centre's website: www.covlaw.org.uk.

Coventry City Council