WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT?
Sexual harassment can take many forms. It can be verbal, non-verbal, or physical and can range from an overt suggestion that a person could get a higher grade or salary increase by submitting to sexual advances, to an advance or suggestion implied from the conduct, circumstance and relationship of the individuals involved. Such conduct may create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or scholastic environment. A third party can also claim sexual harassment when his or her employment or educational opportunity has been adversely affected by “sexual favoritism” in the workplace or academic environment. Verbal harassment may include, but is not limited to the following: • sexual innuendoes, comments and sexual remarks about clothing, body, or sexual activities; • repeated sexually oriented kidding, teasing, joking or flirting; • verbal abuse of a sexual nature; • derogatory or demeaning comments about women or men in general, whether sexual or not; • suggestive or insulting sound
Sexual harassment can take many forms. It can be verbal, non-verbal, or physical and can range from an overt suggestion that a person could get a higher grade or salary increase by submitting to sexual advances to an advance or suggestion implied from the conduct, circumstance, and relationship of the individuals involved. Such conduct may create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or scholastic environment. A third party can also claim sexual harassment when his or her employment or educational opportunity has been adversely affected by “sexual favoritism” in the workplace or academic environment.
Sexual harassment can take many forms. It can range from an overt suggestion that a person could get a higher grade or salary increase by submitting to sexual advances, to an advance or suggestion implied from the conduct, circumstance and relationship of the individuals involved. Such conduct may create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or academic environment. A third party can also claim sexual harassment when his or her employment or educational opportunity has been adversely affected by “sexual favoritism” in the workplace or academic environment. WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT SEXUAL HARASSMENT • Do not ignore it. The harasser may misinterpret no response as approval of the behavior. • Know Your Rights. • Speak Up At The Time. • Say “NO” clearly and firmly. Tell the harasser that their advances are unwelcomed and you want them stopped. • Keep Records. • Seek Advice. The campus office designated to assist with faculty, staff and student complaints is the Office of Equal Opport
There has been a change in the laws in this area in 1998. Prior to that time, harassment was either considered quid pro quo or hostile environment. This meant that either there was direct evidence of harassment (i.e., the boss offered you a raise if you slept with him) or enough hostility in the area to impact a persons ability to perform their job (i.e., nude posters and screen savers and suggestive jokes). However, in 1998 there were Supreme Court rulings on two different cases, Ellerth and Faragher, which have changed the way these situations are looked at. Under these cases, the main concern was whether or not there had been a tangible employment action such as a raise, promotion, or similar change of employment conditions. These changes have taken away some of the prior company defenses (such as lack of knowledge), but has put in place some new defenses.
