If you feel that you have been treated unfairly or less favourably than someone else because of a protected characteristic then this could be discrimination. 

The Equality Act 2010, sets out nine protected characteristics: 

  • age 
  • disability 
  • gender reassignment 
  • marriage and civil partnership 
  • pregnancy and maternity 
  • race 
  • religion or belief 
  • sex 

Discrimination can happen anywhere and has many different forms. You can find more information, including examples of discrimination, from Race Council Cymru and Diverse Cymru. 

Types of Discrimination 

Direct discrimination  

This means treating one person worse than another person because of a protected characteristic.  

Examples of Direct Discrimination  

  • A placement opportunity becomes available. The teaching assistant believes that people’s memories get worse as they get older so he doesn’t tell one of his older students about it, because he thinks they wouldn’t be able to do the job.   
  • You are pregnant and applying for a promotion at work. Your employer decides not to promote you, even though you are the best candidate for the job, because they do not want to pay the increased rate for your maternity leave.  

Indirect Discrimination 

This can happen when an organisation puts a rule or a policy or a way of doing things in place which has a worse impact on someone with a protected characteristic than someone without one.  

Examples of Indirect Discrimination  

  • A hairdresser refuses to employ stylists that cover their own hair, this would put any Muslim women or Sikh men who cover their hair at a disadvantage when applying for a position as a stylist. 
  • An employer decides to change shift patterns for staff so that they finish at 5pm instead of 3pm. Female employees with caring responsibilities could be at a disadvantage if the new shift pattern means they cannot collect their children from school or childcare. 

Harassment 

This means people cannot treat you in a way that violates your dignity, or creates a hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment.  

Examples of Harassment 

  • A person who has undergone male-to-female gender reassignment is having a drink in a pub with friends and the landlord keeps calling her ‘sir’ or ‘he’ when serving drinks, despite her complaining about it. 
  • A university lecturer makes sexual jokes to one of his female students and implies that she will pass her exams if she sleeps with him. 

Victimisation 

This means people cannot treat you unfairly if you are taking action under the Equality Act (like making a complaint of discrimination), or if you are supporting someone else who is doing so. 

Examples of Victimisation   

  • you make a complaint of sexual harassment within your course, and you are graded unfairly due to the complaint. 
  • Your colleague complains about being called 'wrinkly' at work. You help them complain to your manager. Your manager treats you badly as a result of getting involved. 

Behaviours and standards 

The University expects all members of the University community to treat each other with respect, courtesy and consideration at all times. If you have experienced unacceptable behaviour and let us know about this, we can help to address this and take the most appropriate course of action (with your consent and agreement). 

This information can also be viewed on the Cardiff University Student Intranet 

Support available

It is your choice whether you tell someone about your experience, but please be assured that there is support available for you.

Immediate support

In an emergency you should dial 999 and inform University Security by calling +44 (0)29 2087 4444.

In a non-emergency

  • you may wish to inform South Wales Police by calling 101 to make a complaint or informally discuss safety concerns
  • you can obtain advice and information from the Equality Advisory Support Service - a helpline for anyone who has experienced discrimination in employment, housing, education, transport and cases where you may have been discriminated against when using or buying goods and services. They can also provide advice and information on human rights issues
  • you can contact the ACAS helpline for free, confidential advice and information on workplace rights, rules and best practices, including workplace discrimination.

University-based support for students

You can access support from the University's Student Support Intervention Team. The team can provide information and support including:

  • managing your safety if this is an immediate concern
  • practical support with housing, financial and academic needs with specific information on what to do if you live or study with someone who has been violent or abusive
  • signposting to specialist agencies
  • explaining reporting options and offering support whilst reporting
  • explaining University complaint procedures

To access support from the Student Support Intervention Team, please submit your information via Report & Support.

If you prefer to make a disclosure without sharing your details, you can also do this via Report & Support. Please note that the Student Support intervention team will not be able to offer you an appointment if you choose to disclose anonymously.

Support available for Staff

The staff intranet provides a variety of wellbeing options such as the

  • Employee Assistance Programme,
  • dignity and wellbeing contacts
  • occupational health

Your manager, Head of School/Service and local HR will also be able to support you during this time, should you wish to reach out to them. Alongside this, Trade Union support is also available. 

This information can also be viewed on the Cardiff University Student Intranet

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