| Sexual harassment affects all women in some form or the other. Lewd remarks, touching, wolf-whistles, looks are part of any woman’s life, so much so that it is dismissed as normal. Sexual harassment is nothing less than the showcasing of male dominance. | |
| It is a form of gender discrimination that involves unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, and occurs when: |
- Unwelcomed is determined by the recipient
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay or career
- Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person
- Such conduct interferes with an individual’s performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment
- Any person in a supervisory position who:
(a) Uses or condones explicit or implicit sexual behavior to control, influence or affect the career, pay or job.
(b) Makes deliberate or repeated unwelcomed verbal comments, gestures, or physical contact of a sexual nature is engaging in sexual harassment.
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| Most sexual harassment law focuses on two forms of harassment: |
- quid pro quo harassment and
- hostile work environment harassment.
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Forms of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment can be of many forms. It can be verbal, nonverbal and physical.
Verbal sexual harassment includes: - Profanity: Obscene or degrading terms for men or woman and inappropriate use of terms of endearment.
- Obscene jokes, cat calls or cadence with sexual overtones.
- Spreading rumors about an individual’s sex life.
- Sexually oriented remarks about a person’s clothing or body.
- Persistent requests for dates.
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| Nonverbal sexual harassment includes: | |
- Gestures made with intentional sexual overtones.
- Staring, leering, blowing kisses, licking lips.
- Leaving sexually suggestive notes, magazines, cartoons, mugs or pictures.
- Overlooking, ignoring or failing to take action on illegal activities or reported sexual harassment.
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| Physical sexual harassment includes: | |
- Unsolicited or unwanted touching of any part of clothing or body.
- Cornering or blocking.
- Stalking or following.
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| Effects of sexual harassment | |
- Effects on individuals: Anger, reduction in performance, avoidance, increased
- absentee rate, self-blame.
- Effects on organization: Loss of unit cohesion, low morale, undermines readiness.
- Effects on mission: Detracts from mission accomplishment.
Are you experiencing any of these? - Making sexual jokes, looks, or movements.
- Brushing up against someone in a sexual way.
- Spreading sexual rumors about someone.
- Showing, giving, or leaving someone sexual pictures, photographs, messages or notes.
- Writing sexual messages or graffiti about someone.
- Flashing or “mooning” someone.
- Making comments about or rating the parts of someone’s body.
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If the answer to these questions is ‘yes,’ then you are a victim of sexual harassment.
Sexual Harassment can occur anywhere and is just not limited to the work place. It violates acceptable standards and usually interferes with mission accomplishment. |