Human Resources -- Sexual Discrimination

Human Resources -- Sexual Discrimination in Europe

There are many variations to the kinds of sexual harassment experienced by both men and women in Europe. Those the prevalence of certain kinds of harassment vary country to country and culture to culture, according to reports on sexual harassment in Europe, the most common kind of sexual harassment is Hostile Environment. The sexual abusers make the workplace a "hostile environment" with unwanted comments, jokes, looks, touches, and other gestures that make the abused feel deeply uncomfortable to the point where the environment may interfere with their work. Harassment itself is defined as

"unwanted sexually tinted behaviour/attention appearing in physical verbal and nonverbal behaviour resulting in a hostile work environment, less pleasure in work, disturbance of productivity, and a worsening of the relationship with the client or organisation." (European Commission, "Sexual harassment in the workplace in the European Union," Page 23)

Therefore sexual harassment extends beyond the actions or words or nonverbal communications expressed by the abuser/harasser; sexual harassment contains both the harassment and the aftermath of the harassment including most notably the affects on the harassed, the work environment, and the process of work in general.

Because sexual harassment is so prevalent in European cultures, not to mention around the world, there are now laws and other forms of legislation in place to serve consequences for those who sexually harass others at work. Some punishments for convictions of sexual harassment at the workplace include prison time, fines, and compensation to the harassed person(s). In several European countries such as Portugal, some of the laws require that the harasser be summarily fired from his/her position at the workplace as well. (European Commission, Pages 193, 203, 204) There are even some cases of laws, that as a part of the punishment, the harasser may be kept from further employment from specific industries, tasks, or be banned from a kind of work for a specific amount of time. (Loutfi, Women, Gender, and Work, Page 485)

The range of effects of sexual harassment is great. Sexual harassment affects the individual harassed, affects the organisation within which the harassment took place, and sexual harassment affects society as a whole. Let us first discuss the effects of sexual harassment on the individual. For the individual who is on the receiving end of sexual harassment at the workplace, the effects are numerable, unfortunately. There are physical and emotional or psychological effects. The individual spends his/her working life in fear. This person lives in fear of the person(s) who harass them; the harassed will fear the presence of the harasser. The feelings of fear interfere with work production, which may in turn put this person's job in danger. The person, or anyone who is sexually harassed at work may be so distracted by the feelings of fear and disgust, that they make mistakes that ultimately cost them their jobs. Individuals who are sexually harassed at work experience stress. It is now more common knowledge that stress manifests itself physically in our bodies. Thus, persons who are sexually harassed may have aches, pains, headaches, muscle tensions, digestive problems, and actually, a very large array of physical symptoms that stem from additional stress experienced at work. The relationships of those who are sexually harassed suffer as well. People who are sexually harassed suffer from diminished self-esteem and perhaps also depression. These people withdraw and avoid social gatherings, withdraw from their friends and families, and participate less in group activities, including work meetings. The lack of physical and social contact can cause further psychological and emotional damage to a person who is already suffering. (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Workplace Violence and Harassment: a European Picture, Chapter 5)

The organisation where the harassment took place will suffer as well. Another effect on the individual in regards to sexual harassment, as stated earlier, can be depression. In some cases, the depression can be so debilitating, that the harassed individual is unable to leave his/her home and do their job. Absenteeism, lower productivity, and low morale will cause the organisation to lose profit whether in the short-term or long-term. Evidence as well as rumor of widespread sexual harassment at a particular organisation will damage that organisation's professional reputation and perhaps others will quit making for a large turnover rate in the company's work population. Workers may leave and potential new workers may diminish and apply elsewhere, in a safer, less hostile work environment. (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, Chapter 5)