Sexual Harassment Policy

The Newgate Social has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and will take all complaints of this nature extremely seriously.

The Newgate Social has a zero-tolerance approach to sexual harassment and will take all complaints of this nature extremely seriously. The purpose of this policy is to support a working environment and venue culture in which sexual harassment is unacceptable. All people working in the venue are covered in this policy including contractors such as door staff and dance staff. Should you experience or witness any behaviour that you feel amounts to sexual harassment either towards yourself, another member of staff or a customer we strongly encourage you to report it to any member of staff either bar, floor or security as soon as you can.

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. It takes place when someone is subjected to unwelcome and unwanted sexual behaviour or other conduct related to their gender.

Harassment is defined by law in the Equality Act 2010 as ‘unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual’. In the case of sexual harassment, the relevant protected characteristic is ‘sex’.

Behaviour that constitutes sexual harassment includes:

▪ Unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature, this may be either physical or verbal,
▪ Inappropriate or suggestive remarks or verbal sexual advances,
▪ Indecent comments, jokes or innuendos relating to a person’s looks or private life,▪ Unwanted physical contact such as hugging, kissing or inappropriate touching,
▪ Requests for sexual favours,
▪ The display or circulation of pornography or indecent images.

Often, this kind of behaviour may be brushed off by the harasser as ‘banter’ or harmless flirting. It is important to remember that the impact the behaviour had is the most important factor, it is not so relevant whether the individual intended to cause offence, but rather that offence was caused by the conduct.

Witnessing and handling reports of sexual harassment of patrons

The Newgate Social considers it our responsibility to intervene when sexual harassment happens in our premises. If you witness or are alerted to sexual harassment taking place between patrons or between patrons and staff, you should alert the shift supervisor.

Interventions to challenge sexual harassment in our venue include:

▪ Watching/keeping an eye on the situation
▪ Speaking with target/victim of sexual harassment
▪ Speaking with perpetrator of sexual harassment
▪ Asking the perpetrator to leave the establishment
▪ Alerting the security staff
▪ Alerting theGate centre security
▪ Calling thePolice

Rape Crisis – Rape Crisis Tyneside and Northumberland is a specialist organisation for women and girls who have experienced sexual violence at any time in their lives. @RapeCrisisTN rctn.org.uk