Harassment Advisor Role

A Harassment Advisor is expected to:

• Attend the Harassment Advisor induction training before assuming the role and attend a refresher training session every two years thereafter.
• Deal with all cases with the utmost confidentiality, unless, exceptionally, an individual is considered to be at risk of serious harm. In those circumstances, the Harassment Advisor will only break this confidence in consultation with the Harassment Line or Student Welfare and Support Service or HR. They will explain the parameters of confidentiality to the individual at the beginning of their support.
• Be empathic and believe the person they are supporting feels the way they do (our role is not to assess or adjudicate).
• Listen non-judgementally.
• Clarify and explore with the individual their options under the University Harassment and Bullying Policy and Procedure.
• Refer the individual on to other agencies or support systems where appropriate.
• Provide similar support to those accused of harassment. To avoid a conflict of interest Harassment Advisors should only provide support to one party in a harassment case and refer the other party to another Harassment Advisor in the Department / College or to the Harassment Line.
• Contact the Harassment Line whenever they need support or advice on a case.
• Complete the online Harassment Advisor questionnaire (edu.web.ox.ac.uk/questionnaire) at the end of their involvement in a case.
• Notify the Harassment Line when their role as a Harassment Advisor ends.

Harassment Advisors are asked not to:

• Provide legal advice.
• Approach the alleged harasser in an attempt to mediate or resolve the matter.
• Act as a representative or advocate.
• Be involved in any formal stage of the process, be it in writing a formal complaint, the investigation, disciplinary or grievance procedures, except by way of giving the individual the support they need during this time.
• Advise those to whom they are providing support that a particular behaviour: Definitely constitutes harassment that will lead to disciplinary action; or Definitely does NOT constitute harassment, bearing in mind that it is how the person feels that is important, rather than the advisor's perception.