Harassment and sexual misconduct have no place in our college community.
We are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for everyone. If you are a student, apprentice, or staff member who has experienced harassment or sexual misconduct, this page provides information on the support services and reporting options available both within the college and through external organisations.
If you have any concerns about your safety or the safety of others:
Call us on Monday to Friday 01246 500688
Email us at [email protected]
Out of hours Monday and Thursday from 5pm to 9pm 0758484838
Report Abuse in Education Helpline
Young people who have experienced abuse at school and parents and teachers who are concerned about sexual abuse in education settings can call 0800 136 663 or email [email protected].
Harassment is unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic that has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment. As defined by the Equality Act 2010, this includes harassment based on association (being connected to someone with a protected characteristic) or perception (being perceived to have a protected characteristic, whether or not this is accurate).
Sexual misconduct refers to any unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature that violates personal boundaries, dignity, or consent. It is a broad term that encompasses a range of actions, including sexual harassment, assault, and rape. It may also involve other unwanted behaviours such as inappropriate touching, indecent exposure, stalking, and intimidation. In essence, it includes any conduct of a sexual nature that is non-consensual, harmful, and disrespectful of individual autonomy.
Examples of sexual misconduct include:
Sexual harassment:
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favours, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
Sexual assault:
Any sexual act committed without consent, including rape, forced touching, or other sexual acts.
Rape: Sexual intercourse without consent.
Unwanted touching: Touching someone sexually without their consent, including pinching, embracing, or groping.
Stalking: Repeatedly following, harassing, or threatening someone, often with sexual intent.
Exposure: Inappropriately exposing one’s genitals or other private parts to others.
Intimidation: Using force or coercion to pressure someone into unwanted sexual activity.
Distributing private and personal explicit images or video footage of an individual without their consent.
Taking steps to protect students
The college considers any concerns related to harassment and sexual misconduct to be a safeguarding concern. Detailed procedures for reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns, including specific procedures for dealing with allegations against staff, are contained within the safeguarding suite of procedures aligned to the college Safeguarding Policy Family.
The college has an established process for student reps and student governors to be represented at formal committees including Safeguarding, Equality Diversity and Inclusion,and the Board of Governors. Relevant policies are approved by those committees and the Board as appropriate.
The Safeguarding Committee receive termly updates via the safeguarding report, which includes data reporting that enables the college to:
Training for staff and students
Training takes place for both staff and students through formalised induction processes, staff development activity, and the Personal Development Curriculum for students. This covers safeguarding monitoring and reporting with a clear zero tolerance approach to harassment and sexual misconduct, along with reference to codes of conduct and appropriate professional behaviours.
The college ensures that students are introduced to safeguarding topics including harassment and sexual misconduct, healthy relationships, and consent as part of the Personal Development Curriculum.
The college monitors continuous achievement of 100% completion of mandatory safeguarding training for all staff, which includes annual refreshers and regular staff briefings.
Our mandatory Staff Development Week, supplemented by in-year updates for HE leads and tutors, ensures the entire team receives comprehensive and current training on freedom of speech principles and guidance on harassment and sexual misconduct, in line with UK legislation and best practices.
Support for those affected
College students can access support through their Personal Development Coach or Higher and Adult Education Support Coordinator, as well as receiving support and signposting to external support services via the Safeguarding Team based in the Wellbeing Hub. Tailored support plans will be individualised for each student depending on their circumstances. This includes support for alleged perpetrators.
As part of our commitment to creating a safe and respectful environment, Chesterfield College supports the Enough Said Pledge, reinforcing our collective responsibility to challenge inappropriate behaviour and uphold a culture of respect and safety for all.
Reporting incidents
Students can raise their concerns regarding any incidents of alleged harassment or sexual misconduct through any member of staff or by contacting the safeguarding team directly via the link here . All staff are trained to recognise harassment and sexual misconduct as a safeguarding concern and are required to utilise a dedicated safeguarding reporting system to log those concerns with the Safeguarding Team.
Dedicated safeguarding pages are included on the college website, which signpost students to appropriate reporting of concerns and to other external support organisations.
Handling information
The college:
Investigating incidents
Where a safeguarding concern is considered to be a potential breach of the law, this would be reported to the Police, who would carry out any appropriate investigations.
Any student misconduct/gross misconduct is defined within the college Student and Apprentice Disciplinary Policy and dealt with in line with the associated procedures, including any formal investigations and disciplinary hearings.
Any staff misconduct/gross misconduct is defined within the college Staff Disciplinary Policy and dealt with in line with the associated procedures, including any formal investigations and disciplinary hearings. Any misconduct perceived to be of a safeguarding nature is reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer.
Communications
The college has a comprehensive source of information published on the website in relation to harassment and sexual misconduct. This can be easily accessed via the Safeguarding pages of the website.
The page clearly outlines the college statement in respect of dealing with harassment and sexual misconduct, with staff and students signposted to this and the further information available through induction, Personal Development Curriculum and staff training/briefings.
To find out more about the topics discussed on this page, please take a look at the resources on this page. If you have any further questions, please speak to your Tutor, Personal Development Coach or a member of the Safeguarding Team.
Safeguarding Policy and Procedure
Student Safeguarding Guide – Advancing Health Equalities: A CYP Masterclass Series
Any form of harassment or sexual misconduct, whether verbal, physical, or online, will not be tolerated.
We encourage all students, apprentices, and staff to report any concerns to our Safeguarding Team, who will offer a safe environment to listen to your concerns, offer reassurance, and provide appropriate support.
By signing our pledge you are agreeing to challenge and report all forms of harassment and sexual misconduct. We believe it is vital to set the boundaries and expectations around what behaviours will not be tolerated, as well as creating a culture where everyone feels safe and equipped to challenge or call out any unacceptable behaviours they might witness within the college community.
By signing our pledge you are agreeing to challenge and report all forms of harassment and sexual misconduct. We believe it is vital to set the boundaries around what behaviours will not be tolerated, as well as creating a culture where everyone feels safe and equipped to challenge or call out any unacceptable behaviours they might witness within our college community.
Show your support and sign the pledge today!
I will:
