1.Introduction
 

The British Graduate Shakespeare Conference (BritGrad) is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and supportive conference environment that is free from discrimination, harassment, bullying, victimisation, and both psychological and physical harm.

​

This commitment applies to all participants, including delegates, auditors, plenary speakers, committee members, volunteers, venue staff, and guests, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, religion, nationality, or any other protected characteristic.

BritGrad operates a zero-tolerance approach to harassment, bullying, discrimination, victimisation, and sexual misconduct. These behaviours will not be tolerated in any form, whether occurring in person, online, before, during, or after the conference, including conference-related social events.

​

Participants found to be in breach of this policy may be removed from the conference and associated events without refund at the discretion of the Conference Chair and organising committee.

This policy complements relevant UK legislation, including the Equality Act 2010 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

​

For further guidance, attendees may also consult the University of Birmingham's Harassment and Bullying Policy:

https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/student/academic-support/registry/ug-gt/student-conduct/harassment-bullying-and-victimisation.aspx

​

​

2. Conference Pledge

​

BritGrad aims to:

• Provide a safe, inclusive, and accessible environment,  (physically and mentally), both online and in person.

• Treat all attendees with dignity, courtesy, and respect.

• Promote equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout the conference.

• Create a culture where all participants feel able to contribute to scholarly discussion.

• Offer safe, effective, and accessible procedures for raising concerns and complaints.

• Investigate concerns fairly, sensitively, confidentially, and promptly.

• Take appropriate action where harassment, bullying, discrimination, victimisation, or misconduct is identified.

• Ensure that retaliation against individuals who raise concerns is not tolerated.

• Where evidence is found that indicates a malicious complaint has occurred, immediate and appropriate action will be taken promptly

​

​

3. Definitions

​

3.1 Harassment

​

BritGrad adopts the definitions of harassment contained within the Equality Act 2010 and the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

​

Under section 26 of the Equality Act 2010:

​

A person harasses another if:

• they engage in unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic; or

• they engage in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature; or 

• they or another person engages in unwanted conduct of a sexual nature or that is related to gender reassignment or sex, which results in a person being treated less favourably than if they had not rejected or had submitted to the conduct,

 

and the unwanted conduct has the purpose or effect of:

• violating a person’s dignity; or 

• creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.

 

Harassment may be verbal, physical, written, visual, or digital.

​

Harassment related to protected characteristics is unlawful.

• age

• disability (physical or mental)

• gender reassignment

• race (including ethnic and national origins, colour and nationality)

• religion or belief (including lack of belief)

• sex 

• sexual orientation

 

Examples may include:

• Insults, name-calling, or offensive language.

• Inappropriate jokes relating to protected characteristics.

• Ridiculing or undermining another participant.

• Intimidating, coercive, or threatening behaviour.

• Unwanted physical contact.

• Physical assault or threats of assault.

• Deliberate exclusion or isolation.

• Offensive images or materials.

• Stalking, spying, or persistent unwanted contact.

• Intrusive comments about a person's appearance or private life.

 

These examples are not exhaustive.

 

​

3.2 Sexual Harassment and Sexual Misconduct

​

Sexual harassment is any unwanted verbal, non-verbal, written, or physical conduct of a sexual nature which violates a person's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.Sexual  harassment  constitutes  the  spectrum from gestural abuse to sexual assault.

Sexual harassment includes, but is not limited to:

• Gestures

• The display of offensive material

• Sexist comments

• Comments of a sexual nature

• Posting or sharing pornography, sexual pictures or cartoons, sexually explicit graffiti, or other sexual images (including online)

• Implicit or explicit demands for sexual activity, 

• Subtle  pressure for sexual favours 

• Outing someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity

• Unwanted kissing, staring, physical contact, touching

• Stalking

• Insinuations about a person’s private life

• Repeated and unwanted personal contact, including by text,  phone, email, Zoom (including the in-conference chat), or any other form of digital or social media 

• Inappropriate or offensive comments on dress or physical appearance 

• Making repeated comments about someone’s physical appearance 

• Gender, gender identity and sexual orientation related insults

• Conference pranks which are lewd in nature 

• Reciting lewd jokes, 

• Sharing sexual anecdotes

• Asking sexual questions, such as questions about someone's sexual history or their sexual orientation

 

Sexual misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

• Sexual harassment.

• Sexual assault.

• Rape.

• Any unwanted sexual conduct.

 

Where behaviour may constitute a criminal offence, BritGrad reserves the right to contact venue staff or the police where necessary.

 

​

3.3 Bullying

 

Bullying can be defined as unwanted ‘offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means intended to undermine, humiliate, denigrate or injure the recipient.’ Typically, bullying is one person against another, or a group of people against an individual. Bullying can also occur in less obvious scenarios and outside of traditional power relationships, e.g. a member of staff may be bullied by a student.

​

Examples include:

• Ridiculing or belittling another attendee.

• Aggressive or intimidating behaviour.

• Repeated personal attacks.

• Deliberately excluding an individual from conference activities.

• Public humiliation.

• Persistent unwarranted criticism.

• Cyberbullying through email, messaging platforms, social media, or online conference tools.

​

Bullying can occur regardless of seniority or status.

​

When using social media:

• avoid using language which would be deemed to others to be harassment in a face-to-face setting as the impact on an individual will be much the same.

• avoid forming or joining an online group or group chat that isolates or victimises students or colleagues

• ensure that you never access online or share illegal content online

 

If instances of what might be online harassment or bullying are reported they will be dealt with in the same way as if they had taken place in a face-to-face setting.

 

​

3.4 Discrimination

​

Discrimination occurs when an individual is treated less favourably, placed at a disadvantage, or subjected to unwanted behaviour because of a protected characteristic.

​

Protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 include:

• Age

• Disability

• Gender reassignment

• Marriage and civil partnership

• Pregnancy and maternity

• Race

• Religion or belief

• Sex

• Sexual orientation

​

All allegations of discrimination will be treated seriously and investigated appropriately.

 

​

3.5 Victimisation and Retaliation

​

Victimisation occurs when a person suffers a detriment because they have:

• Raised a complaint.

• Supported another person in raising a complaint.

• Participated in an investigation.

• Intend to raise a complaint.

​

Retaliation against any person who raises a concern or participates in a complaint process is prohibited and may itself constitute a breach of this policy.

​​

​

3.6 Good Faith

 

If, at any time, there is evidence that allegations of harassment or bullying have been made vexatiously or maliciously, that false information has been provided or that the reporter has otherwise acted in bad faith, disciplinary action may be taken.  

 

 

4. Academic Freedom and Scholarly Debate

​

BritGrad recognises that academic research often engages with challenging, controversial, sensitive, or historically offensive material.

​

Scholarly disagreement, vigorous academic debate, and the discussion of controversial ideas do not in themselves constitute harassment or bullying.

​

However, all participants are expected to engage respectfully with one another and present research in a manner that does not amount to harassment, bullying, discrimination, victimisation, or intimidation.

The conference reserves the right to intervene where conduct exceeds the boundaries of legitimate academic discussion and creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment.

​

 

5. Presentations, Workshops and Research Content

​

BritGrad welcomes research addressing a wide range of topics, including sensitive and challenging subject matter.

 

Presenters are expected to ensure that:

• Material is relevant to the topic under discussion.

• Content is presented respectfully.

• Potentially distressing material is accompanied by appropriate content warnings where possible.

• Potentially offensive language is used only where necessary and relevant to the research.

• Any content that could be deemed particularly severe MUST be pre-approved by the committee in writing.

• Workshop activities are conducted safely and appropriately.

​

Delegates should read abstracts carefully when selecting panels.

​

Attendees are free to leave any session at any time without explanation.

​

Workshop facilitators may be required to complete risk assessments where appropriate.

​

Committee members and panel chairs reserve the right to pause or stop a presentation where content is deemed to be in serious breach of conference policies.

​

 

5.1 Sensitive Content

​

Any delegate intending to use sensitive material, including images or videos, should ensure that:

1. Particularly severe content has been discussed with the committee in advance.

2. The material is necessary to the topic.

3. The material is presented respectfully.

4. Gratuitous or unnecessary content is avoided.

5. Attendees are provided with appropriate warnings where possible.

​

​

5.2 Verbal Delivery

Verbal delivery during a conference may not be policed as effectively and the conference organisers are not responsible for human-error or unknown content. When presenting, speakers should ensure:

• all language is non-discriminatory and necessary for their paper

• any potentially discriminatory or offensive language that is needed for the paper must be 100% necessary 

• there is no gratuitous swearing or potentially offensive language 

• none of their language could be construed as derogatory, misogynistic, or defamatory (except where quoting from an Early Modern text)

• Committee members chairing a presentation have the right to pause or stop a paper if the content or delivery is deemed not in line with our guidelines

​

​

6. Photography, Recording and Social Media

​

Attendees must not record, photograph, livestream, or distribute presentations without the express permission of the presenter. This includes posting photographs on social media. Consent MUST be obtained. 

​

Conference presentations often contain unpublished research and intellectual property. Delegates should respect presenters' wishes regarding recording, photography, and online sharing.

​

When engaging with conference social media:

• Communication should remain professional and respectful.

• Harassment, bullying, discrimination, or offensive content will not be tolerated.

• Participants should avoid sharing material that may be misleading, defamatory, or taken out of context.

​

The conference may take photographs for promotional purposes. Delegates who do not wish to appear in photographs should notify the organising committee.

​

 

7. Conference Conduct

​

All attendees are expected to conduct themselves professionally and respectfully throughout the conference and associated events.

​

This includes:

• Conference sessions.

• Online events.

• Social activities.

• Networking events.

• Conference-organised excursions.

​

BritGrad operates a zero-tolerance policy regarding the possession, use, distribution, or supply of illegal substances.

Any participant found to be in possession of, using, or supplying illegal substances may be removed from the conference and associated events without refund.

​

Where appropriate, venue staff or law enforcement may be informed.

​

 

8. Enforcement

​

If a participant is asked to stop behaviour that breaches this policy, they are expected to comply immediately (regardless of whether they believe they are participating in such behaviour or not).

​

Possible actions include:

• Informal warning.

• Formal warning.

• Removal from a session.

• Removal from conference events without refund.

• Removal from the conference without refund.

• Referral to venue staff or emergency services.

​

If a committee member finds a paper to have unsuitable content or the delivery is deemed to be potentially offensive, the speaker may be asked to  stop  presenting and may not be invited to  participate in the post-panel question-and-answer session.

​

Exclusion from the conference may also include exclusion from social events and conference-related activities.

 

​

9. Reporting Concerns

​

If someone makes you or another participant feel unsafe, unwelcome, or uncomfortable, please report the matter as soon as possible.

​

If you or another individual are in immediate danger, contact emergency services by dialling 999.

 

​

9.1 Reporting to the Committee

​

Concerns may be reported:

• To any committee member in-person or online, who will report to the Chair

• To the Conference Chair.

• By email to the Chair 

​

All reports will be treated seriously.

​

 

9.2 Confidential Reporting

​

Reports will be handled as confidentially as possible.

​

Information will only be shared where necessary to investigate concerns, protect participants, or comply with legal obligations.

 

Individuals making reports will not be required to confront the person they are reporting.

​

Support persons may accompany individuals during discussions where appropriate.

​

 

9.3 Anonymous Reporting

​

Reports may be submitted via this form. Submissions may be made anonymously

 

Anonymous reports will be reviewed and recorded; however, the committee's ability to investigate or take action may be limited where insufficient information is available.

​

Anonymous reporting may nevertheless assist the committee in identifying patterns of behaviour and taking preventative action where appropriate.

​

 

9.4 Support

​

The organising committee will do its best to assist attendees in accessing support, including:

• Contacting emergency services.

• Contacting local support organisations.

• Assisting attendees in leaving situations where they feel unsafe.

• Providing information about further support services.

​

 

10. Key Contacts

​

Conference Chair
Chair.BritGrad@outlook.com​

​

Conference Registrar
Registrar.BritGrad@outlook.com

​

Shakespeare Institute Reception
0121 414 9500

​

Emergency Services (UK)
999

​

Non-Emergency Police (UK)
101

​

NHS Non-Emergency Medical Advice
111

​

Samaritans (24/7)
116 123

​

Victim Support (24/7)
0808 168 9111

​