Victimisation (Equality)

Section 27 of the Equality Act 2010 defines victimisation: a person (A) victimises another person (B) if A subjects B to a detriment because B does a protected act, or because A believes that B has done, or may do, a protected act. Protected acts include bringing proceedings under the Act and giving evidence or information in connection with proceedings under this Act, as well as making an allegation that someone has contravened the Act.

Victimisation protection is deliberately broad: it protects not only someone who has actually brought a discrimination claim, but also someone merely suspected of intending to, and it protects witnesses who give evidence in someone else's case. The protection has one significant limit. Giving false evidence or information, or making a false allegation, is not a protected act if the evidence or information is given, or the allegation is made, in bad faith, so a malicious or dishonest complaint does not itself found a victimisation claim if the complainant is later treated adversely because of it.