SEXUAL

HARASSMENT
IN WORKPLACE
MADE BY : AISSI MERIEM
MKOUN HAJAR

Summary
I.

What is sexual harassment

II. What behavior may be harassing

III. Types of sexual harassment

- Quid pro quo

- Hostile work environment
IV. Effects of Sexual Harassment

- Psychological Reactions
- Career-Related Effects
V. What Can You Do If You Are Harassed?

What is sexual harassment

Sexual harassment is an unwelcome advances, requests for
favors, and/or other verbal, visual or physical conduct of a
sexual nature.
In most modern legal contexts, sexual harassment is illegal. As
defined by the USEEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission), "It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or
employee) because of that persons sex.

The harasser can be :

The victim's supervisor,

A supervisor in another area,
A co-worker,
Someone who is not an employee of the employer, such as a
client or customer,
Also, the harassers or victims can be either male or female,

What behavior may be

harassing
Written :
Unwelcome suggestive,
Sexually explicit or obscene letters,
Notes,
E-mails or invitations.

Verbal:
Derogatory, sexually explicit or offensice comments, apithets, slurs or
jokes
Inappropriate comments about an individuals body
Repeated unwelcome propositions
Direct or subtle pressure or repeated unwelcome requests for dates,

Visual:
Sexually oriented gestures, display of sexually suggestive or derogatory
objects, pictures, cartoons, posters or drawings.
Looking a person up and down elevator eyes

Physical :
Impeding or blocking movements, touching; patting or any other
unnecessary or unwanted physical contact
Touching an employees hair, clothing or body
Brushing up against a person

Types of sexual harassment

According to theEqual Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there
are two types of sexual harassment claims:
quid pro quo
hostile work environment.
An employee can claim sexual harassment under one or both sexual
harassment types.

Quid pro quo

Quid pro quo harassment involves expressed or implied demands for sexual
favors in exchange for :
Some benefit (a promotion, pay increase, etc.)
To avoid some detriment (termination, demotion, etc.)
By definition, it can be perpetrated only by someone in a position of power or
authority over another (e.g., manager or supervisor over a subordinate).

Hostile environment
Hostile work environment harassment is sexual or other discriminatory
conduct that is so severe and pervasive that it interferes with an individuals
ability to perform their job; creates an intimidating, offensive, threatening or
humiliating work environment; or causes a situation where a persons
psychological well-being is adversely affected.
Hostile work environment harassment can be perpetrated by anyone in the
work environment including a peer, supervisor, subordinate, vendor,
customer or contractor.

Effects of Sexual Harassment

Being sexually harassed can devastate your psychological health, physical
well-being and vocational development. Women who have been harassed
often change their jobs, career goals, job assignments, educational programs
or academic majors.
In addition, women have reported psychological and physical reaction to
being harassed that are similar to reactions to other forms of stress. They
include:
Psychological Reactions
Career-Related Effects

Psychological Reactions
Depression, anxiety, shock,
Anger, fear, frustration, irritability
Insecurity, embarrassment, feelings of being powerless,, low self-esteem
Guilt, self-blame, isolation, Shame
Physiological Reactions
Sleep Disturbances, nightmares

Career-Related Effects
Decreased job satisfaction
Loss of job or promotion
Absenteeism
Withdrawal from work or school
Change in career goals

What Can You Do If You Are

Harassed?

Many
Found
These
Strategies
Effective

Say NO to the harasser! Be direct.

Write a letter to the harasser. Describe the incident and how
it made you feel. State that you would like the harassment to
stop. Send the letter by certified mail. Keep a copy.
Keep a record of what happened and when. Include dates,
times, places, names of persons involved and witnesses, and
who said what to whom.
Tell someone; don't keep it to yourself. By being quiet about
the harassment, you don't help stop it. Chances are extremely
good that you aren't the only victim of your harasser. Speaking
up can be helpful in finding support and in protecting others
from being victims.
Find out what the procedure is at your workplace or school;
If you are experiencing severe psychological distress, you
may want to consult a psychologist or other mental health
professional who understands the problems caused by sexual
harassment.