King’s is committed to being an environment free from bullying and harassment, prejudice, and discrimination. Gaslighting is contrary to the Equality Act 2010 and to King's College London's Bullying and Harassment Policy.
It’s happened to me, what can I do?
- Think
- Find a safe space. If an incident has just happened, try and find somewhere you feel safe.
- What is gaslighting? It might be useful to think about what is meant by gaslighting and how this behaviour is described.
- Report
- Both staff and students can report an incident using King's Report and Support system.
- You can choose to do this anonymously or you can request support from an advisor. If you choose to talk to an advisor, they will be able to talk through the options and support available to you, in confidence.
- If you choose to make a formal complaint about a student or fellow member of staff, there are procedures which set out the steps you'll need to follow.
- Get support
- It’s important that you take care of yourself. If you’ve heard something distressing or if something is troubling you, you can seek support through the King's Employee Assistance Programme.
- For mental health and wellbeing support, have a look at KCL Staff experience: Mental wellbeing.
- You may find it helpful to get in touch with one of the Chaplains at the King's Chaplaincy, who are available to support staff, as well as students.
It's happened to someone I know, what should I do?
If you know someone who has been affected by gaslighting, they are not alone and support is available.
- Talk
- Listen. Just taking the time to listen to someone and talk about what has happened can help. Try these 6 active listening tips to help you support them.
- Give options. When they have finished talking, ask them if they are okay to talk through some possible options and next steps.
- If someone you know has been affected, you can encourage them to seek support.
- Alternatively, you can make an anonymous disclosure which will allow us to investigate if there are multiple instances in one area.
- Find out more
- You can point them towards resources such as Solace Women’s Aid: Have you heard about gaslighting?
- Get support
- It’s important that they take care of themselves. They can seek support through the King's Employee Assistance Programme.
- For mental health and wellbeing support, they can have a look at KCL Staff experience: Mental wellbeing.
- They may find it helpful to get in touch with one of the Chaplains at the King's Chaplaincy, who are available to support staff, as well as students.
- If the gaslighting is related to gender-based violence, you can point them towards Solace Women’s Aid or Refuge.