Breakaway Theatre Company (the Company) is committed to providing an environment that is free of harassment and bullying and where everyone is treated, and treats others, with dignity and respect. The Company will not permit or condone any form of bullying or harassment.
This policy covers bullying or harassment of, or by, anyone engaged in Company activities. The policy encompasses bullying or harassment that occurs during rehearsals, performances and any other activities or events organised by the Company.
Harassment is any unwanted physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct that has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.
A single incident of this nature can amount to harassment if sufficiently serious.
Unlawful harassment may involve sexual harassment, or it may be related to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
The Company’s position is that harassment is unacceptable, whether or not it is targeted at any of these categories.
Bullying is a sustained form of psychological abuse. It is defined as offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, involving the abuse or misuse of power, which has the purpose or effect of belittling, humiliating or threatening the recipient.
Bullying usually takes one of three forms: physical, verbal or indirect.
It can range from extreme forms such as violence and intimidation, to less obvious actions, such as professional or social exclusion.
It is important to note that harassment occurs even if the harasser perceives his/her behaviour as being harmless and without malice, or ‘just a bit of fun’.
What matters is how the behaviour makes the recipient feel and not what the perpetrator’s intentions were. Also, a person may be harassed even if they were not the intended ‘target’ of the behaviour. For example, a man may be harassed by sexist jokes about women if the jokes create an environment that is offensive to him.
Examples of harassment may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Display or circulation of sexually suggestive material or material with racial overtones
- Use of slang names for racial groups, or age groups, or for disabled persons
- Professional or social exclusion
- Unwanted physical conduct, such as touching, pinching, pushing and grabbing
- Unwelcome sexual advances or suggestive behaviour
- Offensive emails, text messages or social media content
Examples of bullying may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Shouting or swearing at people in public or private
- Spreading malicious rumours
- Inappropriate derogatory remarks about someone
- Physical or psychological threats
- Constantly undervaluing effort
- Rages, often over trivial matters
- Ignoring or deliberately excluding people
- Overbearing and intimidating levels of supervision
- Deliberately sabotaging or impeding someone else’s performance
Informal approach
In the first instance you are advised to consult informally with the Safeguarding Officer to agree what steps should be taken. You may be able to sort out matters without resorting to making a formal complaint. The person may not know that their behaviour is unwelcome or upsetting, so an informal discussion may help them to understand the effects of their behaviour and agree to change it.
If the informal approach is not appropriate, or has not been successful, a formal complaint should be made.
Formal procedure
When a member feels that they need to deal with an issue of harassment or bullying formally, they should report the matter to the Safeguarding Officer, who will investigate complaints in a timely, confidential and sensitive manner.
If the Safeguarding Officer is involved in the complaint, or has a close connection with the person complained about, the member should contact The Chair of Breakaway Theatre Company, who will either investigate the matter or appoint someone else.
Once the investigation is complete, the Safeguarding Officer will consult with the Officers of the Breakaway Committee (Chair, Treasurer and Secretary) as to what action (if any) needs to be taken. Both parties will be informed separately of the decision.
Whether or not your complaint is upheld, we will consider how best to manage any ongoing relationship between the people concerned.
If someone makes a complaint which is not upheld and there are good grounds for believing that the complaint was not made in good faith, the Safeguarding Officer and the Officers of Breakaway Theatre Company will consider what action (if any) should be taken.
How we can all help to stop bullying and harassment:
- Considering how our own behaviour may affect others, and changing it
- Being receptive, rather than defensive, if asked to change your behaviour
- Treating all members with dignity and respect
- Taking a stand if you think inappropriate jokes or comments are being made
- Making it clear to others when you find their behaviour unacceptable
- Intervening, if possible, to stop harassment or bullying, and giving support to victims
- Reporting harassment or bullying to your Show Director or the Safeguarding Officer
- Being open, honest and objective in any investigation of complaints
Directors have a particular responsibility to:
- Set a good example by their own behaviour
- Ensure that there is a supportive environment in their Cast and Production Team
- Intervene to stop bullying or harassment
- Report promptly to the Safeguarding Officer any complaint of bullying or harassment
Adopted by the Breakaway Committee November 2024
