What is Sexual Harassment?
- Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that humiliate, threaten or embarrass the victim.
- While a person engaging in harassing behaviour most often has some form of power or authority over the person being harassed, that is not always the case. The harasser can be a peer of the person being harassed. Harassment can be from a male to a female or vice versa or between persons of same gender.
- Generally speaking, there are two types of sexual harassment, “quid pro quo” and hostile environment.
- Quid pro quo - meaning “this for that”. This could be a situation where a student’s decision to succumb to or reject a teacher’s advances affects his/her academic performance. Also, if an employee’s promotion is tied to going on a date with the employee’s supervisor.
Hostile environment sexual harassment occurs when unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive environment or is so severe, persistent or pervasive that it affects a person’s ability to participate in that environment.
Below are a few forms of sexual harassment:
1. Gender harassment - sexist comments about women/men
2. Seductive behavior - repeated and unwanted sexual invitations
3. Sexual bribery - solicitations of sexual conduct in the promise of a reward
4. Sexual coercion - threat of punishment
5. Sexual imposition - forceful touching (like groping)
Some common examples of sexual harassment include sending unsolicited pornographic material and/or obscene messages to someone, sending email messages or leaving repeated phone messages for someone who has clearly indicated no interest or making regular sexually suggestive remarks to an individual who has not displayed interest and requested that you stop the behavior.
What to do if sexual harassment has happened to you
- First, believe in yourself. Nothing that happened (or is happening) to you is any fault of yours.
- Trust your instincts and take threats seriously. If you feel unsafe with a person or in an environment, you most probably are unsafe
- Keep evidences and a record. Write down comments, place and time. Keep emails and text messages. Maintain contact with witnesses, if there is anyone, or have a trusted friend witness some incidences
- Talk to a trusted friend, colleague, and/or counselor – anyone who can listen and help you figure out a solution. Seek supportive counseling.
- Develop a safety plan, if needed. Identify options for a plan B e.g. a place to stay, whom to call/reach out to in emergency etc.
- Consider reporting to a higher authority (if in the workplace, school or home) or the police. Also consider obtaining protection through the police.