The next important step is that of setting your own boundary. This is usually a new idea to many individuals but is very important thus when need be the victim should get assistance from "conflict resolution specialists" (Mullen 1999)
A study conducted by Dellinger, Giuffre & Williams (1999) of sexual harassment in the workplace found that sexual harassment has an important impact on the workplace culture of organizations and varying consequences for individuals and families. Further they argue that workers face damaging outcomes including a reduced self-esteem and sense of happiness, both in and outside of the workplace (Dellinger, Giuffer & Williams, 1999)
According to Montemurro's research, one way that sexual harassment has become trivialized in the workplace is through the media, which often pokes fun at the idea of sexual harassment. Humor has often been used as a method for trivializing sexual harassment in the workplace, and this humor is evidenced not only within corporate facilities but also within the media (Montemurro, 2003)
Welsh (1999) examines sexual harassment from a gender perspective and concludes that sexual harassment may be contextualized by both 'organizational and individual factors" and that gender examination is primary to the study of sexual harassment; further she claims there is no unified theoretical framework that can help explain the occurrence of sexual harassment (169). Many studies have concluded that sexual harassment lowers morale, increases absenteeism, decreases overall job satisfaction and individual's perceptions of opportunity within the organization as well as damages interpersonal relationships (Welsh, 1999; Gruber 1992)
The study also reveals that differences in perception of sexual harassment may stem from problems judicial authorities have had in resolving claims of sexual harassment. They study points out that the EEOC has defined sexual harassment as verbal or physical conduct that "unreasonably interferes with an individual's job performance or creates and intimidating or hostile work environment" (Rotundo, et
The importance of training cannot be reiterated enough: "…make sure that all of your employees, from managers down to the newest hourly worker -- know what sexual harassment is and that it is not tolerated. Regular training sessions are best, but at the least every business should have a carefully drafted policy that every employee and new hire must read and understand" (Berkowitz, 2014)
While many people consider sexual harassment as the forcing an individual into a nonconsensual sexual act, other behaviors displaying sexually implicit photographs, posters and magazines are forms of sexual harassment in the workplace. It is highly recognizable that irrespective of the measures adopted to curb the vice such as protection of the employees and members of the society by the constitution, the cases of sexual harassment in the workplace continue to rise (Collins & Vaughn, 2004)
Data regarding sexual harassment also suffers from the unwillingness of many women to report sexual harassment. It is not known how many suffer in silence for fear of social, legal, or physical retribution (Barak, 2005)
The patterns that lead to sexual harassment begin during the school years. Girls in grades 7-12 who were sexually harassed at school were more likely to commit suicide than those who were not sexually harassed (Timmerman, 2004)
The HR department is responsible to resolve the situation to remove the hostile environment from the workplace. Usually the offending party is punished through a temporary suspension, demotion, transfer or loss of employment (Klein, 2007)
Some options or recommendations for the HR department or manager if the allegations are proved valid are to give an verbal warning to the offending party requesting that they discontinue the sexual harassment toward the person making the claim. The manager can also hold back a planned promotion or opportunity for advancement as a type of punishment for violating the company policy in this area (Marmorstein, 2009)
Possibly comments made that slander a person's religious beliefs, age, political affiliation, citizenship, sexual preference, or appearance that continue on an ongoing basis are unreasonable and create a hostile situation. (Volokh 2011)
Difference between Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination Harassment is behavior that is unessential for the performance of an administrative or managerial job, but in its place outside the extent of obligatory work responsibilities. Harassment is, thus, the conduct apparently slotted in for personal satisfaction, fulfillment and indulgence because of malice or intolerance, or for other private reasons (Broderick, 2011)
Hostile environment harassment not only involves sexual advances, but also sexual behavior that is not inevitably besieged at the complaining employee, but has an effect on the working conditions of the accuser (Hartmus & Niblock, 2000). In simple words, such kind of harassment intimidates the working environment as a result of sexual stares and gazes, behaviors, snaps, comments, jokes, terrorization and/or bullying (Gross, 2008)
Gender discrimination refers to unfairness and bigotry by administration in personnel verdicts based on a worker's sex (Broderick, 2011). "Quid Pro Quo" Sexual Harassment Quid Pro Quo occurs when an employee is asked, either in a roundabout way or straightforwardly, to surrender to a sexual advance in exchange for some advantage at work for instance a promotion or salary advance (Hartmus & Niblock, 2000)
Essentially, the law views sexual harassment as an incident that occurs due to unequal treatment of an individual in a sexual nature. This includes verbal abuse which "could include sexual comments, suggestions, jokes, or innuendos; nonverbal harassment could include suggestive looks, leering, or ogling; and physical harassment could include accidentally brushing against someone's body, 'friendly' pats, squeezes or pinches, and forced sexual relations" (Gordon 5)
Title VII prohibits discrimination against an individual "with respect to his compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such individual's race, color, religion, sex or national origin." (Siegel and MacKinnon 22) Even though the statute does specifically identify sexual harassment as being prohibited, over the years, the courts have come to see sexual harassment as being a form of sex discrimination
This overtly sexual speech in the context of sexual harassment cases has not become a significant First Amendment issue is not a surprise. Not only have claimants been reluctant to suggest that such speech has First Amendment protections, but also the courts have dismissed those claims that the speech has been protected (Gerard, 1992-1993)
The government has always been permitted to restrict the rights in the Bill of Rights if it can demonstrate a compelling government interest. Sexual harassment impacts not only its victims, but also the workplace, so that the government has a compelling interest in eliminating it, which justifies the First Amendment restrictions (Kent, 1994)
However, how these terms are defined vary wildly by culture. Moreover, these cultural impacts on ethical guidelines can have a strong impact on what is perceived as justice by that culture (Shao et al