Sexual harassment is a serious problem in the workplace and can take many forms. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace or learning environment. Sexual harassment can occur in a variety of circumstances, and the harasser can identify with any gender and have any relationship to the victim, including being a direct manager, indirect supervisor, coworker, teacher, peer, or colleague. Some forms of sexual harassment include:

• Unwanted kissing, touching of breasts or genitals, butt slapping, rape, other forms of sexual assault, requests for sexual favors, making sexually explicit comments, uninvited massages, sexually suggestive gestures, catcalls, ogling, or cornering someone in a tight space.

• Unwelcome sexually suggestive or demeaning comments, repeated and unwelcome requests for dates, offensive gestures, offensive touching, jokes or pranks, intimidating behaviors, or pornographic materials.

• Negative comments about women as a group or directed at a specific person.

Sexual harassment can create a hostile work environment that affects an individuals employment, unreasonably interferes with an individuals work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. There are two types of workplace sexual harassment: hostile work environment sexual harassment and quid pro quo sexual harassment. Hostile work environment sexual harassment can happen in two ways: when someone you work with makes you the target of unwelcome sexually suggestive or demeaning comments, repeated and unwelcome requests for dates, offensive gestures, offensive touching, jokes or pranks, intimidating behaviors, or pornographic materials, or when there is a pattern of such conduct that is severe and/or pervasive. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when a supervisors request for sexual favors or other sexual conduct results in a tangible job action.

It is important to note that sexual harassment laws do not usually cover teasing or offhand comments, but these behaviors can also be upsetting and have a negative emotional effect. If you are being sexually harassed, you can report it to the authorities at your job or school. Your employer must thoroughly and promptly investigate reports of workplace sexual harassment, do something to stop workplace sexual harassment quickly and effectively, and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Firing or changing the job of the victim in a negative way are not acceptable ways to deal with workplace sexual harassment.