These leaflets have been prepared to help you understand what harassment is, the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement policy on harassment and your rights and responsibilities.

WHAT IS HARASSMENT

Harassment is any behaviour which is not asked for and not wanted and that happens because of a person's sex, race, age, disability or sexual preference. However, harass¬ment that occurs for any reason is against the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Movement (VEYM) policy.

Harassment offends, upsets, humiliates or scares another person. It makes the Movement uncomfortable and unpleasant.

Harassment is not always intended - acts or behaviour which are funny or don't mean much to one person may hurt or offend another. A Movement without harassment is a Movement where people respect and tolerate the rights and differences of others.
Harassment is often about one person (or a group of people) using power inappropriately over another person/group of people.

Factors such as age, race, disability, seniority and lack of confidence or assertiveness can make a person particularly vulnerable to harassment.

TYPES OF HARASSMENT

Harassment can take many forms. Depending on whether the behaviour is welcome or not, any of the following could amount to a type of harassment:

Some forms of verbal harassment may include:

• sexual or suggestive remarks
• making fun of someone
• imitating someone's accent
• propositions (sexual invitations)
• spreading rumours
• repeated unwelcome invitations
• offensive jokes
• repeated questions about personal life
• threats or insults
• the use of language that is not suitable in the Movement
• name calling

Some forms of non-verbal harassment may include:

• putting pornographic, offensive or degrading/ insulting material on walls, computer screen savers, Email and so on
• suggestive looks or leers
• unwelcome practical jokes
• displaying or circulating racist cartoons or literature
• mimicking someone with a disability
• being followed home from your place of Activity by a colleague
• excluding someone from work activities eg. ignoring someone
• not sharing information
• offensive hand or body gestures
• invading someone's personal space eg. unnecessarily leaning over someone
• wolf whistling
• continually ignoring or dismissing someone's contribution in a meeting/ discussion

Some forms of physical harassment may include:

• unnecessary physical contact (pinching, patting, brushing up against a person, touching, kissing, hugging against a person's will)
• pushing, shoving or jostling
• putting your hand or an object (like a lollypop) into someone's pocket (especially breast, hip or back pocket)

• apprentice ‘initiations’ eg. being ‘greased’.
• indecent or sexual assault or attempted assault is a crime under the Crimes Act.

WHAT You Do IF You FEEL, You ARE BEING HARASSED?

Any person who is being harassed has the right to complain and take action. The VEYM supports and encourages people to take action because we believe that everyone has the right to work in a comfortable environment.
There are a number of things you can do if you feel you are being harassed.

You can:

Let the person responsible for the behaviour know that the behaviour is offensive and unacceptable.
If you do not feel able to talk to the harasser on your own, ask a colleague, Parish delegate or other representative to come with you. Speak to your Supervisor, Manager or Priest in charge.
These staff have been specifically trained in assisting in resolving complaints of harassment and will be able to look into your complaint.
These trained staff will speak to you about the possible ways you would like the complaint resolved.

Be assured that the VEYM internal investigation procedures are:

• Confidential;
• Timely - It is The VEYM policy that complaints of harassment should be dealt with quickly. Wherever possible, upon receiving a complaint, a The VEYM representative should speak to the person complaining within 24 hours and the alleged harasser within 48 hours;
• Impartial - the person looking into the complaint should not take any sides;
• Free of repercussions/victimisation.

ISSUES YOU NEED TO CONSIDER

In choosing how to resolve a harassment complaint you need to consider the following:
Take some action. Doing nothing cannot improve the situation and may make it worse. If it is happening to you, it is probably happening to others.
In general, do not seek to transfer to another Division, State or resign.
You have done nothing wrong and while moving away may take you away from the immediate problem.
It may also mean that the alleged harasser is not confronted with their behaviour and, as outlined above may behave in similar ways to others.

Discuss the matter only with those who have a genuine responsibility in resolving it. It is important to remember when initiating any action that accusing someone of harassment is a serious allegation that needs to be dealt with sensitively and discreetly.

Any allegation of harassment should only be raised with people who have management responsibility for you or the alleged harasser, you may also contact your Human Resources Representative or Parish Co-ordinator.
When speaking with these people make sure that the interview is confidential. Do not broadcast your complaint.

A complaint of harassment is a serious matter for everyone concerned. Any member who makes such a complaint against another without reasonable grounds may be disciplined.

Proven cases of harassment or victimisation may also lead to disciplinary action, including dismissal.

Remember, every Vietnamese Eucharistic member has the right to a comfortable environment that is free of harassment.