Recognizing and Reporting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
If you are a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, you are not alone. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), “[t]hirty eight percent of all women and fourteen percent of men have reported experiencing sexual harassment at work,” and “[s]ixty percent of women say they have experienced unwanted sexual attention, sexual coercion, sexually crude conduct, or sexist comments in the workplace.”
So, what should you do if you are (or think you may be) a victim?
Recognizing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
The first step toward taking action in response to sexual harassment is acknowledging that you are a victim. While many people struggle to accept that they have been victimized, just as many people—if not more—are not clear on what it means to experience sexual harassment in the workplace. With this in mind, some of the most common examples of sexual harassment include things like:
- Unwelcome sexual advances or requests for sexual favors
- Unwelcome physical contact
- Comments that are explicitly sexual or have sexual implications
- Sexually explicit emails, text messages or direct messages
- Making or sending other inappropriate statements, jokes or videos
- Lewd gestures or other gestures with sexual innuendo
- Leering, gawking and other types of inappropriate behavior
These are just examples. Of course, if you have experienced any form of nonconsensual sexual contact or felt pressured to engage in any sexual act, these are clear forms of harassment as well—if not worse. In short, if you think you are a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, there is a very good chance that you are right, and you can—and should—take action to protect yourself in this scenario.
Reporting Sexual Harassment When You Are a Victim
One of the first steps toward protecting yourself is to report what you have experienced. Typically, employees will need to report sexual harassment in one of two ways:
- Filing a Report with Their Supervisor or Manager – Unless your supervisor or manager was involved in the inappropriate conduct, you should be able to file a sexual harassment report with your superior. Your superior should then take the necessary steps to ensure that your report is handled appropriately within the company.
- Filing a Report with Their Company’s Human Resources (HR) Department – If you are not comfortable reporting the incident to your supervisor or manager, then you can report it to your company’s HR department (if it has one).
In either case, you can file a report directly or hire a lawyer to deal with your employer on your behalf. Your lawyer can also determine what additional steps are necessary to ensure that you receive any and all remedies to which you are legally entitled.
Get Help from a Philadelphia Employment Attorney at Murphy Law Group
Do you need to know more about taking action as a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace? If so, we’re here to help. To speak with an experienced Philadelphia employment attorney at Murphy Law Group in confidence, call 267-273-1054 or request a free consultation online today.