Sexual harassment in the workplace consists of unsolicited sexual behaviors the recipient finds offensive and intimidating. Though this discrimination is illegal, the number of cases of sexual harassment continues to increase each year. This harassment may affect the recipient’s work performance, health, and career. Both men and women are victims of this discrimination; unfortunately, the majority never reports it to their employers due to fear of retaliation or loss of employment.
Sexual Harassment in the Work Place
Headlines in newspapers, the evening news, and the internet report an increasing number of sexual harassment incidents in the public arena of politics. Imagine the number of incidents taking place in the larger private sector, out of the public’s scrutiny. Although many types of harassment occur in the workplace, the most common, sexual harassment often remains unreported. Various factors constitute sexual harassment in the workplace and may lead to retaliation towards victims electing to report incidents. In addition to adverse effects on victims, organizations similarly suffer from sexual harassment incidents.
Factors Constituting Sexual Harassment
Decades ago, federal law prohibited discrimination with the creation of The Civil Rights Act of 1964. Through several amendments and inclusion of Title VII, this law now includes sexual harassment as a form of discrimination. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published guidelines for defining workplace sexual harassment, as well as standards in handling charges of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment arises from unsolicited physical, verbal, and non-verbal behavior of a sexual nature hindering one’s work performance or generating an a...
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...nation requires vigilance of both time and personnel to provide awareness, training and zero tolerance policies for effectively eliminating workplace harassment. Take a stand now to help provide a harassment free workplace environment.
Works Cited
Facts About Sexual Harassment. (2002, June 27). Retrieved November 11, 2011, from U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-sex.html
Bhagria, A. (2010, October 5). When Is It Really Sexual Harassment? Retrieved November 11, 2011, from YOUNG HR MANAGER INNOVATION, THE KEY FOR TODAY'S SUCCESSFUL HR MANAGERS: http://www.younghrmanager.com/sexual-harassment-at-workplace
England, D. C. (2011). Preventing Retaliation Claims by Employees. Retrieved November 11, 2011, from NOLO LAW FOR ALL: http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/preventing-retaliation-claims-by-employees-29599.html
Petrocelli, William, and Barbara Kate Repa. Sexual Harassment on the job. Berkeley: Nolo Press, 1994
Sandy Welsh, Jacquie Carr, Barbara MacQuarrie, Audrey Huntly “I’m Not Thinking of It as Sexual Harassment”: Understanding Harassment across Race and Citizenship. Gender and Society. 20.1 ( 2006): 87-107. Print.
"Sexual harassment is a type of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Unwelcome sexual advances, demands for sexual favors and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature is inappropriate behavior when the behavior unequivocally or verifiably influences an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates a scary, antagonistic or hostile workplace (Noe, 2011).” " Sexual harassment can be the point at which somebody feels uncomfortable or irritated in a sexual manner, for instance, this could be as a remark, joke, look, or motion. There are two noteworthy sorts of sexual harassment: Quid pro quo which is the point at which a man is punished for dismissing
The EEOC has also stated that a victim of sexual harassment need not say anything to any supervisor. Co-workers and supervisors are liable if any one kn...
According to Webster’s online dictionary, it is believed that the phrase “sexual harassment” was coined at Cornell University in 1974 ("Sexual harassment," 2011). The phrase wasn’t, however, really used in common language until the testimony of Anita Hill against Clarence Thomas in 1991. Sexual harassment can take many different shapes and forms. According to a Fox News article, the sexual harassment claims made by men have increased twofold in the last twenty years ("Sexual harassment claims," 2010). Because sexual harassment is illegal both on a federal and state level in many states, there are steps that an individual and employer should take to prevent sexual harassment.
Roberts, Barry S. and Richard A. Mann. ?Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Primer.? n.pag. On-line. Internet. 5 Dec 2000. Available WWW:
Acts of sexual harassment against another individual have sadly become a common incidence in the workplace. It can be either physical or verbal. In 2008 the Association of Women for Action and Research conducted a survey addressing the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace. The study, which included 500 respondents and 92 companies, showed that 79% of the victims are women and 21% were men; 54% had experienced some form of workplace sexual harassment, 27% experienced harassment by their colleague, while, 17% were harassed by their superior. The study also showed that 12% had received threats of termination if they did no comply with the requests of the sexual harassers ("Statistics | AWARE | Workplace Sexual Harassment", n.d.).
Sexual Harassment is a prohibited conduct of inappropriate behavior in which an individual makes unwelcome sexual favors, requests, or any other form of verbal or physical acts in a sexual nature in which it creates a hostile environment to work in. any form of harassment that hinders or interferes with an employee’s work should be taken seriously and will not be tolerated.
Sexual harassment is so ordinary in the workforce that frequently we fail to even recognize harassing behavior as immoral. This is because so many of us--women and men alike--have become desensitized to offensive behaviors. Sexual harassment in any form is unacceptable behavior and should not be tolerated by anyone. It undermines our ability to study, to work, and to feel like effective, empowered people in the world.
All over the world, we hear about people treating each other prejudicially depending on their background, ethnicity, or sex orientation. Workplaces should be free from all personal biases but unfortunately, we hear about employees being discriminated against, almost, on a daily basis. Workplace discrimination can be described as treating an individual or a group of people differently than others. It also can take more serious and threatening forms such as sexual harassment. It can be expressed in the form of offensive jokes, unwelcomed body contacts, inappropriate gestures, or even direct sexual contact.
18.)"Know Your Rights at Work: Workplace Sexual Harassment." AAUW. American Association of University Women, n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2014.
KANE-URRABAZO, C. (2007). Sexual harassment in the workplace: it is your problem. Journal Of Nursing Management, 15(6), 608-613. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2834.2007.00725.x
Sexual harassment in the workplace has been a huge problem in recent history. It can happen to anyone, and it can happen everywhere. It can affect all types of races, genders and ages. Statistics today show that more and more sexual harassment has become an issue due to the large number of cases presented. Mainstream media becomes consumed covering sexual harassment because of the high-profile cases.
My personal experiences aren’t exactly direct, but it gave me a firsthand view on how this issue is sometimes hard to recognize but very prominent in society today. Studies show that being sexually harassed can affect and devastate your psychological health, physical well-being and vocational development. Therefore, it’s better to be aware of the history, and behavioral concepts of this issue to avoid it from happening to you. Sexual harassment is a growing problem in today's workplace. The signs and causes of harassment are not always easy to detect.
In today’s workplace, sexual harassment is a growing problem. The legal definition of sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. Another definition is the making of unwanted and offensive sexual advances or of sexually offensive remarks or acts, especially by one in a superior or supervisory position. Women and men of all ages, backgrounds, races and experience are harassed on the job. Sexual harassment encountered in workplaces is a hazard across the world that reduces the quality of working life, jeopardizes the well-being of women and men, undermines gender equality and imposes costs on firms and organizations.