However a good policy or procedure may initiate or enhance such a culture if it is deployed judiciously. Used wrongly policies, procedures and committees may have the opposite effect to the one desired - most importantly, they may disempower by giving employees the impression that responsibility lies elsewhere and not with them. Policies may also be abused, distorted and neglected by managers who think that such policies apply to everyone except themselves. People who bully sometimes make counter-claims of bullying against the complainant , or even get their 'complaint' in first. Any incident of harassment will be regarded very seriously and may be grounds for disciplinary action.
Harassment causes distress and anxiety.
It interferes with people's ability to work and study and may be so serious and unrelenting that the person who is being harassed may feel it necessary to change job or course. The defining features are that the behaviour is offensive or intimidating to the recipient and would be so regarded by any reasonable person. It is important to remember that differences of attitude, background or culture and the misinterpretation of social signals can mean that what is perceived as harassment by one person may not seem so to another. Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be admitted as an excuse for harassment. Harassment may take many forms and involve more than one individual both as the harasser and the victim.