Sexual Harassment

What is Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment is using unwelcomed behaviour, sexual in nature, to gain power over someone and adversely affect, or threaten to affect, directly or indirectly a person’s security and well-being.  This can be perpetrated, for example, by a workplace supervisor, a co-worker, a landlord, a service provider, a professor or other service provider.  It can occur in the workplace, in organizations, on campus, at social events, business settings such as trips and conferences and other situations where raising objections or refusing could have negative consequences.

Sexual harassment can be expressed in many ways, from very subtle to the most obvious.  Examples include:

• suggestive remarks, sexual jokes or compromising invitations
• leering at a person’s body
• verbal abuse of a sexual nature
• visual display of suggestive images
• patting, rubbing or other unwanted physical contact
• threats of a sexual nature and/or outright demands for sexual favours

Sexual harassment violations are among the most frequent complaints received by human rights agencies, and the most costly for employers who fail to have effective policies or do not treat such complaints from their employees or customers and clients seriously.

Sexual harassment can have a huge impact on an individual’s health, career, employment, education and living accommodations as examples.

Females are most likely to experience sexual harassment by men but men can also be sexually harassed by women and same-gender harassment can also occur.

What to Do If You Are Being Sexually Harassed

If you believe that you are being sexually harassed the following information may be helpful:

• if possible, make it clear to the offender and/or to the person in authority that such action has occurred and is unwanted
• if the behaviour persists, or corrective action is not taken, a complaint can be filed with the Human Rights Commission 
• it is important to document when the alleged incidents occur, the nature of the behaviour, names of any witnesses and any other information relevant to the investigation
• you can also call the local crisis line for support and information.

The Facts about:     Sexual Assault     Sexual Harrassment     Child Sexual Abuse     Elder Sexual Abuse     Domestic Violence