Types of Sexual Harassment: Understanding What It Is and How to Prevent It
Sexual harassment is a serious workplace safety problem that threatens the well-being of your business. Below, we’ll prepare you to tackle the problem by laying out definitions, types, and examples, then show you a roadmap to prevention within your organization.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
The United Nations defines sexual harassment as "any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offense or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment."
In plainer language, sexual harassment is a type of gender-based workplace safety threat that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other behaviors of a sexual nature that can make a person feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or threatened. It is a violation of a person's dignity and can have a profound impact on their mental health, physical well-being, and professional or academic prospects.
How Common Is Sexual Harassment?
It’s hard to get a comprehensive picture of the scope of sexual harassment because it covers a wide range of behaviors and often goes unreported.
According to a report by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), almost 60% of women say they have experienced unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments in the workplace. In some industries, however, this statistic is as high as 94%.
EEOC findings indicate that only 6 to 13% of individuals who experience workplace harassment file a formal complaint. Most – roughly 70% – don’t even have off-the-record discussions with their supervisor, manager, or union representative.
Despite the lack of reporting, sexual harassment can have a profound effect on the workplace environment.
The Impact of Sexual Harassment
Dealing with sexual harassment at work certainly has a negative effect on those who directly experience it. Being the target of sexual harassment can have a range of negative effects. One survey found that 30% of women and 18% of men report anxiety and/or depression in the wake of sexual harassment. Some cases result in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Physical symptoms related to stress – like headaches, sleep problems, and weight change – are also common.
Sexual harassment can interfere with a person's ability to perform their job or academic duties effectively, leading to decreased productivity, missed opportunities for advancement, and even job loss. In fact, 1 in 7 women report changing jobs, quitting, or seeking a new assignment as a result of workplace harassment.
However, the effects of sexual harassment aren’t limited to direct victims. Witnesses and colleagues may also suffer mental and physical harm, and employee morale is likely to decrease. Sexual harassment can cost a business money – not just through legal expenses but through decreased productivity, increased turnover, and a bad reputation.
Types of Sexual Harassment
There are two broad categories of workplace harassment: quid pro quo and hostile work environment.
Quid pro quo sexual harassment occurs when an employer, supervisor, or other authority figure demands sexual favors in exchange for employment, promotions, or other benefits.
Hostile work environment sexual harassment occurs when an employee is subjected to unwelcome sexual conduct that creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive work environment. This can include sexual comments, gestures, or images, as well as physical contact or stalking.
Beyond these terms, it can also be helpful to label types of sexual harassment in terms of how it’s conveyed, like physical, verbal, and non-verbal harassment. These types of categories help people understand the full scope of behavior that crosses the line.
Examples of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can take many forms, and it is important to understand what behavior is considered sexual harassment. Examples of sexual harassment include:
- Unwanted physical contact, such as touching, hugging, or kissing
- Sexual comments or jokes, whether made in person or online
- Requests for sexual favors in exchange for job opportunities, promotions, or other benefits
- Displaying sexually suggestive materials in the workplace or educational environment
- Sexual advances or propositions
- Making sexual gestures or facial expressions
- Making unwanted sexual comments about a person's clothing, body, or personal life
- Spreading rumors or making derogatory comments about a person's sexual orientation or gender identity
- Stalking or following a person in a sexual or romantic manner
The truth is these examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Any gender-based behavior or language that makes a person feel threatened, unsafe, unwelcome, humiliated, or violated can be considered sexual harassment.
An Employer’s Guide to Preventing Sexual Harassment
Creating a harassment-free workplace requires an intentional effort on the part of employers. Unfortunately, there’s no quick fix – you need to take a multifaceted approach that involves education, training, and policy changes.
Below, we’ll break down a few key components of a comprehensive prevention strategy.
Create a Clear Sexual Harassment Policy
If your organization doesn’t have a clear and comprehensive sexual harassment policy, it should. Some states, including California, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut, set clear requirements and parameters for developing a harassment policy.
Your workplace harassment policy should include:
- The definition and scope of sexual harassment
- Examples and scenarios to illustrate what constitutes sexual harassment
- How to file a claim (and to whom)
- Procedures for investigating allegations of sexual harassment
- Disciplinary measures for supported allegations
Creating a detailed and comprehensive document sets everyone’s expectations and allows all cases to be handled consistently across the organization.
Provide Sexual Harassment Training for Employees
There are many misconceptions about what constitutes workplace harassment, so one of the most fundamental steps to preventing sexual harassment is to get everyone on the same page.
Sexual harassment training for employees should include the definition of sexual harassment, types and examples so they can recognize problematic behavior, and an explanation of the negative impact on both individuals and the organization. The material should then move on to information on creating a harassment-free workplace, including an explanation of legal rights, an introduction to internal reporting procedures, and even bystander intervention strategies.
Supervisors and managers should receive more extensive training than individual contributors. They need support for their role in sexual harassment reporting, including training in appropriate responses to allegations of sexual harassment, documentation strategies, and how to promote a zero-tolerance policy within their teams.
Training should be repeated at least on an annual basis.
Foster a Culture of Respect and Communication
In the long run, preventing sexual harassment requires a cultural shift towards greater respect and inclusivity. This can involve challenging harmful gender stereotypes and promoting diversity and equality in the workplace.
A culture of open communication is another critical aspect of promoting workplace safety. Employees should feel capable of reporting concerns without fear of retaliation so that they come forward. Having official reporting channels is a start, but if employees see any others experience consequences for speaking up, they’ll never come forward.
Selecting a Sexual Harassment Training Program
Integrating sexual harassment training into your organization doesn’t require you to start from scratch – there are many established sexual harassment courses available and ready to go.
When choosing a sexual harassment training provider, it is important to consider several factors to ensure that you select a program that meets your needs.
- Look for a training provider that has a proven track record in delivering effective and engaging sexual harassment training.
- Understand the legal requirements in your jurisdiction and find a state-approved training provider when necessary.
- Consider the training format and whether it is convenient and accessible for your employees.
As a compliance training provider with over 25 years of experience, we offer a range of sexual harassment training programs from which you can draw from. Our Comprehensive Harassment and Discrimination for Employees Course is a great place to get started, but we offer state-specific and manager-specific training as well as state-approved solutions in jurisdictions like New York.
Our courses are online, self-paced, and mobile-friendly, which allows employees to fit the training around their busy schedule and work through the material in the way that suits them best.
Get started today!
