Sexual Harassment: An Examination
Given the media and given the average citizen's level of misinformation, it's not at all uncommon for myths and unrealities to continue to thrive regarding sexual harassment. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination and a negative interaction which is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment is illegal in the workplace and refers to "Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment" (eeoc.gov, 2014). One of the myths that prevails most strongly about sexual harassment is that it only occurs to specific people in specific circumstances. The reality is that sexual harassment is actually far more encompassing. The victims of sexual harassment can be male or female; in fact, the perpetrators of sexual harassment can be male or female. Moreover the victim does not have to be of the opposite sex. The harasser might be a supervisor to the victim, a co-worker, or even a non-employee. Another aspect about sexual harassment that many people often forget is that the victim does not necessarily include the person harassed by anyone who is affected by the negative and offensive conduct.
One way that victims have been said to contribute to an environment which allows sexual harassment to thrive is through silence. In failing to speak up for themselves and in failing to call out the harasser in regards to his or her actions, they are creating a state where sexual harassment is allowed to thrive. This is so problematic as it allows the abuse to subsist. Instead, the victim needs to have the courage to inform the harasser...
The victim has the responsibility to use any complaint or grievance process which might be existing or at work in the organization.
Methods of Prevention
It has been said that prevention truly is the best means by which sexual harassment can be stopped. Prevention is a method which is made up of several pillars of action. For example, one aspect of prevention which is truly effective is education. Employees need to be educated in the workplace about sexual harassment: what it looks like, what it sounds like and why it is so problematic and invasive. Some people who perpetrate sexual harassment truly do so out of ignorance: those were the types of environments they were raised in and have become accustomed to, and they genuinely don't think that there is anything wrong with certain forms of sexual harassment. For instance, this can occur when sexual harassment takes the form of misogynistic or lewd jokes, or when there's inappropriate touching. Some people who perpetrate sexual harassment don't see how a hand placed on another person's shoulder can be viewed as unwanted -- and thus, this is why educational methods are so important.
One aspect of prevention in sexual harassment is simply training. Just as employees need to be trained on how to use a new software program, so they need to be trained to recognize what sexual harassment is and why it is so damaging. If more people are aware of what forms sexual harassment can take, then more people are well-versed in being able to prevent it. The importance of training cannot be reiterated enough: "…make sure that all of your employees, from managers down to the newest hourly worker -- know what sexual harassment is and that it is not tolerated. Regular training sessions are best, but at the least every business should have…
