NHS Grampian have a zero-tolerance policy towards Violence Against Women (VAW), Gender-Based Violence (GBV), sexism, misogyny, and sexual harassment. These behaviours are a breach of conduct and is handled formally under the NHS Scotland Workforce Conduct Policy and the Bullying and Harassment Policy and carry disciplinary action.
What is sexual harassment?
Under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010 as unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature that either has the purpose or effect of:
- violating a person’s dignity or
- creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
Definitions
Sexual harassment is unwanted conduct of a sexual nature which is intended to or has the effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment. Even if there’s no intention to cause distress, it can still violate someone’s dignity or create an offensive environment.
(Source: https://workforce.nhs.scot/supporting-documents/guide/sexual-harassment-guide/)
Sexual assault is when one person intentionally touches another person sexually without their consent. The touching can be done with any part of the body or with an object.
(Source: https://workforce.nhs.scot/supporting-documents/guide/sexual-harassment-guide/)
Third-party harassment is the harassment of a worker by someone who does not work for and is not an agent of the same employer. For example, a patient, relative or carer, or contractor.
(Source: https://workforce.nhs.scot/supporting-documents/guide/sexual-harassment-guide/)
Sexual misconduct describes a range of conduct or attempted conduct of a sexual nature including sexual assault, sexual harassment, stalking, voyeurism, revenge porn and any other conduct of a sexual nature that is non-consensual or has the purpose or effect of threatening, intimidating, undermining, humiliating or coercing a person. It includes sexual violence, sexual harassment, stalking and revenge porn.
(Source: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/about-brookes/harassment/sexual-misconduct-violence-or-abuse)