The Society operates an anti-discrimination and anti-bullying policy. This is a combined policy because the two types of behaviour often occur within the same incident.
We will not tolerate behaviour from our members which discriminates against people (whether the victim is a member or not) on any of the grounds covered by the Equality Act 2010 (please see below), nor will we tolerate any bullying behaviour.
The Equality Act 2010 means that it is against the law in Great Britain to discriminate against any person on the grounds of:
- age
- gender reassignment
- being married or in a civil partnership
- being pregnant or on maternity leave
- disability
- race including colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin
- religion or belief
- sex
- sexual orientation
You are protected from discrimination:
- at work
- in education
- as a consumer
- when using public services
- when buying or renting property
- as a member or guest of a private club or association
https://www.gov.uk/discrimination-your-rights
The Society is anti-bullying. Bullying can include:
- physical bullying: hitting, slapping or pushing someone
- verbal bullying: name calling, gossiping or threatening someone
- non-verbal abuse: hand signs or text messages
- emotional abuse: threatening, intimidating or humiliating someone
- exclusion: ignoring or isolating someone
- undermining, constant criticism or spreading rumours
- controlling or manipulating someone
- making silent, hoax or abusive calls
Hate crime
We do not tolerate bullying or hate speech, either in person, in written communications or online. Bullying someone because of their gender, gender identity, sexuality, religious beliefs, race, skin colour or because they have a disability, is hate crime and against the law.
Cyberbullying can include:
- sending threatening or abusive text messages
- creating and sharing embarrassing images or videos
- trolling – the sending of menacing or upsetting messages on social networks and chat rooms
- shaming someone online
- setting up hate sites or groups about a particular person or group of people
- encouraging adults or children to self-harm
- voting for or against someone in an abusive poll
- creating fake accounts, hijacking or stealing online identities to embarrass a person or cause trouble using their name
- sending sexually explicit messages, also known as sexting
- pressuring people into sending sexual images or engaging in sexual conversations.
How to report an incident of discrimination or bullying:
If anyone has concerns about possible discrimination or bullying, they should write to or email the Society’s Finance and Governance Group or individually to any one of the elected Officers of the Society, using our Complaints Procedure. The group email address is: governance@idhsgb.org.uk
In order to raise a complaint under this policy, you must either be:
- the alleged victim of bullying or harassment
- or the parent or legal guardian of an alleged victim under the age of 18 years.
Please be prepared to present evidence of your concerns, for example, photographs, emails, texts, screenshots of online content.
The Society will take any alleged incidents of discrimination or bullying very seriously. Members found to have been targeted in this way will be supported.
Victims who believe they may be the subject of a hate crime should report the matter to the Police without delay. Only the Police can determine whether an offence has taken place.
Any criminal investigation and/or civil action against the alleged perpetrator must be completed before the Society will investigate.
Members found, after investigation, to be responsible for incidents of discrimination, bullying or hate crime will be subject to disciplinary action under the Society’s Disciplinary Policy. Offenders can potentially be removed from the Society’s membership under Article 8, or if a trustee, removed from the Council under Article 23 of the Articles of Association.
Policy updated on 10 March 2026.