Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is harassment of a sexual nature, typically in the workplace or other setting where raising objections or refusing may have negative consequences. In American employment law and, it is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job, having the effect of making the workplace intimidating, hostile or offensive. Similar definitions have been established for academic environments. Sexual harassment is considered a form of illegal discrimination and a mild form of sexual and psychological abuse. However, psychologists and social workers report that severe and/or chronic sexual harassment can have the same psychological effects on victims as rape or sexual assault. Backlash and retaliation for complaining about the harassment can further aggravate the effects. Indeed, in 1995, Judith Coflin committed suicide after chronic sexual harassment by her bosses and coworkers. (Her family was later awarded 6 million dollars in damages.)

Instances

Sexual harassment can occur in a number of ways, such as:

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• The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, a client, a co-worker, a teacher or professor, a schoolmate, or a stranger.
• The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone who finds the behavior offensive and is affected by it.
• While adverse effects on the victim are common, this does not have to be the case for the behavior to be unlawful.
• The victim can be male or female. The harasser can be male or female.
• The harasser does not have to be of the opposite sex.
• The harasser's behavior must be unwelcome.
• The harasser may be completely unaware that their behavior is offensive or constitutes sexual harassment, or they may be completely unaware that their actions could be unlawful.

(Adapted from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)

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