How to Deal with Sexual Harassment at the Workplace

Sexual harassment at the workplace is more common than you think, which says a lot about the norms of our society. What’s even more surprising is that both men and women are victims. Gone are the days when only males were considered the culprits, and females alone were objectified. Men have been facing sexual harassment in the past, but now they are more confident in admitting it because principles of equality are reverberating.

What Qualifies as Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment at the workplace has many forms; it can include any words, gestures, or actions that are unwelcome or offensive. Whether an incident is perceived as sexual harassment depends on various factors. For instance, under normal circumstances, it would be highly inappropriate if the boss asks an employee on a date or touches them intimately at the workplace. However, if both parties are involved in a romantic relationship by consent, allegations for sexual harassment cannot be imposed.

Before you file a complaint or take legal action, you must establish that whatever you experienced truly was sexual harassment and if someone can back you up. In several cases, sexual harassment is not obvious, so it can be hard to prove your point. You might feel annoyed or immensely distraught by a comment that may sound harmless to anyone else in the room. People around you might not deliberate the alleged perpetrator’s mannerism or tone as intimidating, or suggestively creepy and invasive.

What Steps to take against Sexual Harassment?

If your gut tells you that a person has bad intentions or you feel uncomfortable around them, do not take it lightly. Nonetheless, if the actions have been subtle, it could very well be a misunderstanding or a minor problem at worst. For example, if a coworker constantly flirts with you but you are not interested, you can start by politely communicating your true feelings towards them. You can simply tell them that their behavior is unprofessional and unwanted.

Confrontation is often sufficient to put an end to unintentional harassment. The harasser may feel embarrassed, apologize right away, and abstain from giving you another reason to take action. In case your harasser is stubborn of persuasive for instigating sexual activity, you must inform the HR department as soon as possible. If your company does not have an HR representative or policy against sexual harassment, you may speak to your manager or supervisor. If the perpetrator is someone among your seniors, you might hesitate to convey the issue.

No matter what the case, do not wait too long for reporting an incident of sexual harassment. You must file a formal complaint in written form for the sake of documentation. If there a specific procedure for reporting the offense mentioned in your employee handbook, follow that. The tone of your letter or email should be official to demonstrate the seriousness of your complaint. You must be able to provide exact timelines of the incident or multiple episodes. The more detailed the account, the better; it is increasingly favorable if you can name witnesses.

If your workplace management does not take measures to resolve the problem, you should consider hiring Sexual Harassment Attorney in Southern California. Your attorney shall help you build a strong case against the wrongdoer and sue them for damages. Your employer would be deemed liable to financially compensate for your pain and suffering.

John Adams writes about travel and best for He encourages his readers to improve their quality of life by incorporating positive and good things. As he loves to share his insight about life experiences, he has contribute on various online platform in