FREE ESSAY ON SEXUAL HARASSMENT

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

You wouldn't think that giving someone a compliment, like "Hey you look sexy today", would
be considered harassment. However, in today's world anything is possible. Sexual
harassment has become a big issue in society and sometimes a person can take it to the
extreme. There are many things that can be considered harassment, there are many ways to
prevent it, and there are things you can do to help yourself if you are a victim.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment. Moreover, when submission to or
rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual's employment,
unreasonably interferes with an individuals 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 man or woman. The victim does not have ot 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" (Facts About Sexual Harassment).
It is helpful for the victim to directly inform the harasser that the conduct is
unwelcome and must stop. The victim should report the incident immediately after it
happens. Do not hesitate; otherwise, your report may not be taken seriously. "When
investigating allegations of sexual harassment, EEOC looks at the whole record: the
circumstances, such as the nature of the sexual advances, and the context in which the
alleged incidents occurred" (Facts About Sexual Harassment). A determination on the
allegations is made from the facts on a case-by-case basis.
Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment. Employers are encouraged to
take steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment. "They should clearly communicate to
employees that sexual harassment will not be tolerated" (Facts About Sexual Harassment).
They can do so by establishing an effective complaint or grievance process and taking
immediate action when an employee complains.
Does sexual harassment just happen in the workplace? No, it happens everywhere including
schools across America. It can happen as early as elementary school. However, harassment
is more common in high school. Sometimes, older students taunt younger ones with sexual
insults. This happened in one school where seventh graders were making sexual comments to
a nine-year old girl on the bus.
Does sexual harassment just happen to girls? No, both boys and girls can be victims of
sexual harassment. "Although girls experience sexual harassment more frequently, boys
also suffer from thing like being called names or having their pants being pulled down in
public" (Sexual Harassment at School). While there's no need to label young children as
harassers, it is important to educate children about sexual harassment and why it's
harmful to all students.
Very simply, sexual harassment is any unwanted and unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature
that interferes with ones education or work performance. Some examples include: sexual
insults, whistling, catcalls, pressure for sexual activity, and pinching. Not all
physical conduct would be considered sexual in nature. Some examples are: a high school
athletic coach hugging a student who made a goal or an employer consoling an employee
with a hug. Sexual harassment is an important issue and should not be taken lightly; on
the other hand, it should not be taken out of control either. 
Works Cited
"Facts About Sexual Harassment". The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. 15
January 1997. 10 October 2000. http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-sex.html. 
"What Can Parents Do at School?". Sexual Harassment at School: What Every Parent Should
Know. 12 October 2000. http://familyeducation.com/article/0,1120,4-4640-0-3,00.html