What is sexual harassment and why is it so difficult to confront?
Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome behavior, or attention, of a sexual nature that interferes with your life. Sexual advances, forced sexual activity, statements about sexual orientation or sexuality, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature all constitute sexual harassment. The behavior may be direct or implied. Sexual harassment can affect an individual’s work or school performance, and can create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. Sexual harassment can occur in a number of ways, such as: • The victim as well as the harasser can be either male, or female. The harasser does not have to be of the opposite sex. • The harasser can be anyone: the victim’s supervisor, a client, a co-worker, a teacher or professor, a schoolmate, a stranger, even a family member. • The harasser’s behavior must be unwelcome. • The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone who finds the behavior offensive and i
