7 Examples of Sexual Harassment at Work
Recognizing and addressing sexual harassment can help maintain a respectful and productive work environment. Sexual harassment involves a range of behaviors that are unwanted and create a hostile or intimidating atmosphere.
This blog will provide 7 clear examples of what constitutes sexual harassment at work, offering insight into how such actions can manifest. By understanding these examples, employers and employees can better navigate and prevent harassment, promoting a safer and more inclusive workplace.
What Is Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?
Your individual workplace and jurisdiction undoubtedly have a dry definition of sexual harassment for you to memorize. It’s often boiled down to “unwanted conduct of a sexual nature,” but this leads to confusion because some examples of sexual harassment may not even happen due to sexual intent.
The key to understanding workplace sexual harassment is recognizing why it’s prohibited in the workplace. It boils down to this: some behaviors have historically been used to make people feel threatened, unsafe, unwelcome, humiliated, or violated.
In some contexts, the common targets of this behavior can simply choose to avoid a place or person, but in the workplace, they’re stuck. They have to be there because their livelihood depends on it, and they have a vested interest in maintaining the best possible relationship they can with their colleagues, even if that means pretending they don’t find someone’s actions uncomfortable.
Every item you see on a list of examples of workplace sexual harassment has been used to degrade, intimidate, or discomfort someone at their job. Often, the perpetrators claimed humor, ignorance, or misunderstanding to cover their hostile intentions. As a result, we now have to teach people that these behaviors are never acceptable so that workplaces feel safe and productive for everyone.
Examples of “Crossing the Line” At Work
Identifying workplace sexual harassment can be tricky because these behaviors that fall under the umbrella are broader than you might think. One helpful way of understanding workplace sexual harassment is to look at examples of behavior that “crosses the line” and could alienate your colleagues.
Below, we’ll explore seven types of workplace sexual harassment and why the behavior should be avoided. It’s not an exhaustive list, but once you understand the reasoning behind these examples, you’re more likely to successfully recognize other actions that are inappropriate.
1. Sharing Sexually Inappropriate Images or Material
Sharing inappropriate images or videos can be seen as an active sign of sexual harassment.
Pornographic material is an extreme example, but any nudity or partial nudity is also something you should steer clear of. For example, an employee might send a colleague an image of themselves in very little clothing with the intention of showing how much they’ve been working out, but this could be misinterpreted as a come-on.
This rule of thumb doesn’t only apply to real photos of people or to images with sexual content or nudity. Any image that can be interpreted as sexually suggestive has no place at work. This includes cartoons, animals, memes, and other less-than-explicit material. If it has sexual implications, it’s best not to share it.
2. Making Suggestive Comments About Appearance, Clothing, or Body Parts
While there is no harm in complimenting a person who has put work into their appearance, phrasing things in a way that could indicate sexual interest can land you in a lot of trouble – no matter who the compliment is about or towards. If it’s not something an average person wouldn’t say to or about their grandmother, it’s probably not appropriate to say at work.
Furthermore, how you say something is as important as what you say. Tone, body language, and emphasis can make even the most innocuous comments seem suggestive.
If you’re worried about your inability to recognize the line, it’s best to avoid any comment on anyone’s appearance, clothing, body, or attractiveness.
3. Asking for Sexual Favors or Repeatedly Asking for Dates
One of the reasons you should avoid commenting on anyone’s appearance is because they might take it as a sexual advance and feel uncomfortable about the issue.
This is why making romantic advances on someone in the workplace is an even riskier situation.
Most people recognize that certain advances are inherently problematic – asking for sex in exchange for something of value, taking advantage of a power disparity, and the like. But even genuine romantic (or platonic!) overtures can make people feel cornered.
Your colleagues have no choice but to see you every shift, and they want to maintain a positive working relationship. That means repeated efforts to make your personal interest known can be very uncomfortable. They may not even want to reject you explicitly out of fear of future awkwardness.
If you want to hang out with a coworker on personal time (or even date them!), it’s best to be sparing with your requests. Apologize if they seem uncomfortable with the idea, and don’t ask again. If you feel like they might be up to it another time, just proceed very carefully. You don’t want to put them in an awkward position that impacts your ability to work well together.
4. Spreading Rumors or Gossip of a Sexual Nature
Do you suspect that two of your coworkers are involved? Keep it to yourself.
It’s human to want to share interesting tidbits or social information, but sharing personal information about colleagues around the office can cause problems for both of you – whether the claim is true or false. If two people are publicly known as a couple, that’s one thing, but speculating or spreading rumors is a type of sexual workplace harassment.
Why is this a problem? If you’re alleging an inappropriate workplace relationship, it’s an obvious hit to someone’s reputation. Additionally, discussing someone’s personal life tells others you’re spending time thinking about their romantic or sexual inclinations. That can make someone feel unsafe at work.
5. Unwanted Physical Contact
Brief handshakes are often expected in certain contexts, but one way to protect yourself from workplace sexual harassment misunderstandings is to avoid other unnecessary physical contact.
While a warm clasp of the shoulder or a pat on the back may be completely innocent to you, there’s no guarantee it will be received in the same way. Even if other people understand your intention, the touch could be uncomfortable or unwelcome.
It’s best to skip any physical gestures and express things like support, reassurance, or encouragement verbally instead.
6. Making Offensive Comment About Someone’s Gender
Sexual harassment in the workplace isn’t just about sex; it also includes any behavior that makes someone uncomfortable because of their sex, gender, or sexual orientation.
The only appropriate way to judge a person in the workplace is by their efforts and professionalism. Making derogatory jokes, comments, or assumptions about people based on sex, gender, or sexual orientation tells everyone around you that you are unable to judge your colleagues on an even playing field – it betrays a sentiment that you think some people are better than others.
This doesn’t only apply to “speaking in mixed company,” by the way. You should avoid making any comments on these topics that can be interpreted as negative, no matter who is around. First, because you can never be 100% sure of someone’s story, you may insult people (or their loved ones) without knowing it. Second, because a growing majority of people find these comments, and their underlying messages, inappropriate on a general basis of fairness.
7. Making Lewd or Suggestive Gestures or Expressions
We mentioned earlier that implying something inappropriate counts and this includes nonverbal communication like hand gestures, facial expressions, and other behaviors.
This can apply to anything from lewd gestures to winking. If it can be taken as a sexual or romantic advance in other contexts, it should be avoided in a professional context.
Behavior like staring, following, and keeping track of the minutiae of someone’s life can also count. While these actions aren’t typically thought of as nonverbal communication, they are because they can imply an inappropriate interest in the recipient.
Learn More with Online Sexual Harassment Training
This article only scratches the surface of identifying workplace sexual harassment, and we haven’t even gotten to tips on prevention and response.
Our online, self-paced sexual harassment course is comprehensive and easy to understand. It will provide you and your employees with the necessary knowledge for understanding workplace sexual harassment and protecting yourself and your workplace.
