Sexual Harassment is any type of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
Sexual harassment can be verbal or nonverbal.
Both the victim and the harasser can be a man or woman.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS ILLEGAL. It should not be accepted or tolerated anywhere.
Some examples of sexual harassment:
- Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault
- Unwanted pressure for sexual favors
- Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching
- Unwanted sexual looks or gestures
- Unwanted phone calls, emails, texts, messages, etc. of a sexual nature
- Unwanted pressure for date
- Unwatched touching of body, hair, and/or clothing
- Unwanted hugging, kissing, touching
- Blowing kisses, winking, licking lips, etc.
- Standing to close or against someone
- Touching or rubbing oneself in front of or near someone else
- Staring someone up and down
- Blocking someone’s path
- Referring to someone as a girl, doll, babe, or honey
- Whistling at someone
- Cat calls
- Telling sexual stories
- Asking about sexual history, sexual preferences, etc.
- Telling lies and/or spreading rumors about someone’s sexual life or history.
What to do if you experience sexual harassment:
- SAY NO. Tell the harasser his/her advances are unwanted. Some people think a “no” is really a “yes”. If you say no, your response should be accepted, understood, and respected.
- KEEP a RECORD. If the harassment continues, keep track of the times, places, statements, and actions of the harasser. This information can be used as proof of the harassment.
- REPORT IT. Go directly to your supervisor, the HR (Human Resource) Department, owner, President, or CEO of the company. If none of these are an option, consider going to the police.
Most importantly, NEVER ACCEPT sexual harassment or be silent about it.
Employers are responsible and obligated to protect their employees from sexual harassment. If a complaint of sexual harassment is brought to the attention of an employer they must investigate the incident/s and take appropriate action. Victims cannot be legally “fired” or terminated from a job for reporting sexual harassment.
**This information is only used for the purposes of teaching English and is NOT professional legal advice. **
Here is some more information.
know-your-rights-sexual-harassment-in-the-workplace.pdf (nationalpartnership.org)
