Anti-Bullying Week is an annual national initiative run by the Anti-bullying Alliance to raise awareness of bullying across different communities. This year it takes place from Monday 11 – Friday 15 November.
With the theme ‘Choose Respect’, Anti-Bullying Week is about making active choices to communicate respectfully with others, as set out in our King’s Community Charter. By being aware of the signs of bullying and harassment, you can help create an environment free from harassment, sexual misconduct, hate crime and bullying.
It is important that you know how to recognise and respond to instances of bullying that you experience or witness. There are several options for support, and you can tell us what happened by using Report + Support.
Bullying and harassment can take different forms.
- Microaggressions: These are subtle, intentional or unintentional acts or comments that marginalise or belittle someone based on their identity. They can be related to race, gender, sexual orientation, or other aspects of a person's identity.
- Gossip and Rumours: Spreading false or damaging information about someone with the intention of tarnishing their reputation.
- Repeated Practical Jokes: Situations where pranks go beyond harmless fun and start causing distress or discomfort.
- Social Exclusion: Deliberately excluding someone from social activities, group projects, or study groups, making them feel isolated or left out.
- Sabotage: Intentionally sabotaging someone's academic work, such as hiding or destroying their materials, spreading false information, or purposely misleading them.
These forms of bullying may not be as easily noticeable, but they can still have a significant impact on a person's wellbeing and academic experience. It's important to be aware and to report anything you witness or experience. For more definitions of bullying, visit our support article, What is Bullying?
Report + Support is the University's dedicated online space for students, staff, and visitors to report concerns or request access to support. It offers you ways to tell us if you’ve experienced or witnessed bullying and options for seeking resolution. Reporting to King’s allows you to discuss options for support and possible action, and access support information about specialist services.
You can also reach out to trusted individuals such as your personal tutor, faculty wellbeing advisors or the Counselling & Mental Health Support Service. You can access support in the following places:
- King’s Chaplaincy are practiced listeners with a wealth of experience in supporting people through relationship, work and study difficulties and can signpost you to other services.
- The King’s Counselling & Mental Health Support Service offers free and confidential in-person and online support.
- KCLSU Advice provide free, confidential and impartial advice if you are experiencing issues affecting your studies.
Our King’s Community Charter
King’s is committed to creating an inclusive, accessible and engaging environment that promotes equality of opportunity for everyone in our community. We ask that all members of our community commit to creating an inclusive, respectful and safe environment, by valuing others, demonstrating empathy and open-mindedness, challenging unacceptable behaviour where safe to do so, and being mindful of the experiences of others.