Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes
sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment,
unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work
environment.
Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, including but not limited to the following:
 The victim as well as the harasser may be a woman or a man. The victim does not have to be of the opposite sex.
 The harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or a
non-employee.
 The victim does not have to be the person harassed but could be anyone affected by the offensive conduct.
 Unlawful sexual harassment may occur without economic injury to or discharge of the victim.
 The harasser’s conduct must be unwelcome.
The definining characteristic of sexual harassment is that it is unwanted. It is important to clearly let an offender know that
certain actions are unwelcome. (Source: US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)
Types of Sexual Harassment
GENDER HARASSMENT (most common): Generalized sexist statements and behavior that convey insulting or degrading
attitudes about women or men. Examples: insulting remarks, obscene jokes or humor about sex, etc.
SEDUCTIVE BEHAVIOR: Unwanted, inappropriate and offensive sexual advances. Examples include repeated and unwanted
sexual invitation; insistant requests for dates/dinner/drinks; persistant letters, phone calls, etc.

SEXUAL IMPOSITION: Gross sexual imposition (such as forceful touching, feeling, grabbing),
Any of the following unwanted behavior may constitute sexual harassment:
 leering  tales of sexual exploitation  sexually explicit gestures
 wolf whistles  pressure for dates  unwelcome touching/hugs
 discussion of one’s partner’s
sexual inadequacies
 ‘accidentally’ brushing
sexual parts of the body
 comments about
women’s/men’s bodies
 sexual innuendo  sexual sneak attacks  sexist jokes/cartoons
 lewd & threatening letters  obscene phone calls  public humiliation
 graphic descriptions
of/displaying pornography
 inappropriate invitations
(e.g. hot tubs)
 sabotaging women’s/men’s
work
 stalking  sexual assault  soliciting sexual services
 leaning over, invading a
person’s space
 insisting that workers wear
revealing clothes
 inappropriate gifts
(ex. lingerie)
 indecent exposure  pressing or rubbing up  hooting, animal noises, etc.


PSYCHOLOGICAL REACTIONS
 Depression, anxiety, shock, denial  Confusion, feelings of being powerless
 Anger, fear, frustration, irritability  Shame, self-consciousness, low self-esteem
 Insecurity, embarrassment, feelings of betrayal  Guilt, self-blame, isolation
CAREER-RELATED EFFECTS
 Decreased job satisfaction Absenteeism
 Unfavorable performance evaluations  Withdrawal from work or school
 Loss of job or promotion
 Change in career goals, jobs, educational
programs, academic majors, etc.
 Drop in academic/work performance due to
stress.
How to Confront and Stop Sexual Harassment:
In Back Off! How To Confront and Stop Sexual Harassment and Harassers, Martha Langelan recommends taking these steps:
 Do the unexpected: Name the behavior. Whatever the harasser has just done, say it, and be specific.
Make honest, direct statements. Speak the truth (no threats, no insults, no obscenities, no appeasing verbal fluff and
padding). Be serious, straightforward, and blunt.
 Demand that the harassment stop. Make it clear that all people have the right to be free from sexual harassment.
Objecting to harassment is a matter of principle.
 Stick to your own agenda. Don’t respond to the harasser’s excuses or diversionary tactics.
 The harasser’s behavior is the issue. Say what you have to say, and repeat it if the behavior persists.
 Reinforce your statements with strong, self-respecting body language: eye contact, head up, shoulders back, a strong.

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature when:
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of an individual’s employment, or
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis
for employment decisions affecting such individual, or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive working environment.
Unwelcome Behavior is the critical word. Unwelcome does not mean “involuntary.”
A victim may consent or agree to certain conduct and actively participate in it even
though it is offensive and objectionable. Therefore, sexual conduct is unwelcome
whenever the person subjected to it considers it unwelcome. Whether the person in
fact welcomed a request for a date, sex-oriented comment, or joke depends on all the
circumstances.
Source: Preventing Sexual Harassment (BNA Communications, Inc.) SDC IP .73
1992 manual
Sexual harassment includes many things…
• Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault.
• Unwanted pressure for sexual favors.
• Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching.