Preview

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
637 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual Harassment is a growing problem in today's workplace. This paper will establish the signs and causes of harassment. and the growing number of cases through statistics and actual cases.

What exactly is sexual harassment? Many people cannot actually define the term properly and give reasons. Many misconceptions of harassment have been conceived. The term sexua l harassment is defined in legal terms, "Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment." (Petrocelli, Repa, pg. ½). Women of all ages, backgrounds, races and experience are harassed on the job. Many acts of harassment can fall into this category, and range from severe to minor.

Signs of harassment can range from meager comments such as comments on a women's breasts or hips to unwanted "accidental" fondling or offensive pictures being brought to their attention. Harassment can also occur in the form of demeaning or belittling comments about a specific gender. In this specific case where, "Two male employees whose supervisor threatened to fir them if they refused to participate in various sexual antics including strip poker and striptease performances at the worksite after

hours." (Petrocelli, Repa pg. 1/3), a boss or higher position person will request sexual favors or acts by using threats. Since sometimes threats are used, many cases of harassment are not reported because of fear.

Many ideas of why sexual harassment occurs have been conceived. The basic statement of sexual harassment is, "Sexual harassment results from a misuse of power-not from sexual attraction." (Petrocelli, Repa, pg. 1/5). This can be considered a broad statement and many ideas can be built upon it.

There has always been a great battle of the sexes. The relationship between the sexes in modern America indlcudes a great deal of violence against women. One out of every ten American women are reaped or sexually

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Roberts, B. S., & Mann, R. A. (n.d.). Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Primer. Retrieved July 2013, from http://www3.uakron.edu/lawrev/robert1.html…

    • 1225 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    • Sexual harassment may include “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature” (EEOC, n.d., para 1). However, it can include also offensive remarks or comments about the sex of a person (male vs. female). “Harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted)” (EEOC, n.d., para. 3).…

    • 2790 Words
    • 12 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    BUSI 642 HR POLICY

    • 1403 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Sexual harassment is a great concern to organizations and if allowed to go unchecked can cost a company millions of dollars. According to Cabral, “in 1980 the Supreme Court said that sexual harassment was a breach of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. From the years 1978 to 1980, sexual harassment cases brought in opposition to companies costing them $189 million. This amount elevated to $267 million from 1985-1987” (p.16). Kubasek, N., & Brennan, B states…

    • 1403 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    2. Roberts, Barry S. and Mann, Richard A. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Primer.…

    • 981 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome advances, requests, for sexual favors, and any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature in the working environment. Sexual feelings are said to be part of group dynamics, and a times people who work together may develop these kinds of feelings. In this case Peter Lewiston developed these types of feelings for Beverly Gillbury, it is possible he mistaken her kindness for fondness or more , the problem occurred when he acted upon it by either a gesture, comment, or action.…

    • 616 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    I will convey to the reader all relevant information to the in both a logical and entertaining fashion. My paper will be interesting as well as factual, and will provide the reader with information which should enhance their knowledge of sexual harassment in the work place.…

    • 270 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Course Project

    • 2111 Words
    • 7 Pages

    It is unlawful to harass a person (an applicant or employee) because of that person’s sex. Harassment can include “sexual harassment” or unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Harassment does not have to be of a sexual nature, however, and can include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. For example, it is illegal to harass a woman by making offensive comments about women in general. Both victim and the harasser can be either a woman or a man, and the victim and harasser can be the same sex. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that are not very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted). Employers typically include a policy against sexual harassment in personnel policies or employee handbooks. These policies use the EEOC definition of prohibited conduct as a guideline. The prohibited conduct must be stated in an understandable way.…

    • 2111 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sexual Harassment according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (2009) is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual 's employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual 's work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment. Merriam Webster (n.d.) defines sexual harassment as uninvited and unwelcome verbal or…

    • 1583 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sexual Harassment

    • 2289 Words
    • 10 Pages

    The definition of sexual harassment that is in the guidelines of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) also is copied by most states and employers for their own use. The guidelines state: Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:…

    • 2289 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    But the most popular harassment faced is sexual harassment. Sexual harassment has been a problem throughout the world for many centuries. As the years go on sexual harassment is getting worst it is used as a pawn to people of higher authority. They tend to harass there employees because they know how badly they want their jobs and they will do anything to keep it. Despite common belief sexual harassment in the workplace has been about power and authority rather than sex, but the experience after the attack has proven to be more damaging than the original…

    • 1180 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This paper is an informational research paper about sexual harassment in the work place. Sexual harassment has been around for many years and although it has decreased over the year’s people are still being harassed sexually in the work place. Harassment is a form of employment discrimination that violates the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964(U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) I will discuss what sexual harassment is, who can be affected by sexual harassment, the consequences of the acts, and how to prevent sexual harassment in the work place. My over all goals for this paper are to make my peers aware of inappropriate behavior at work by helping them understand what it is and how to deal with its causes. In addition I hope to educate my peers abundantly so they will become advocates and help to decrease sexual harassment in the work place.…

    • 922 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sexual harassment is being widely discussed as a topic of interest among many professional communities, including Human Resources and Management in the workplace. This research document will give an understanding of how management should address this issue when present in a work environment.…

    • 1268 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sexual Harrasment

    • 1364 Words
    • 6 Pages

    “Unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, when submission to or rejection of this conduct affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment”…

    • 1364 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Sexual harassment is a demeaning practice, one that constitutes a profound affront to the dignity of the employees forced to endure it. By requiring an employee to contend with unwelcome sexual actions or explicit sexual demands, sexual harassment in the workplace attacks the dignity and self-respect of the victim both as an employee and as a human being. Sexual harassment is well defined as an unwelcome sexual request for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. In many countries, sexual harassment is considered a form of sexual abuse and employment discrimination. Sexual harassment is most prevalent is organizations both professional and academic, though it can occur almost anywhere. Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a complicated issue that confronts employers and employees far too often in the workplace. It causes confusion and uncertainty which interferes with a productive working environment. Sexual harassment interferes with individuals work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment results in poor performance and lack of motivation. Policies and facts Organizations should have a policy that will not cause any confusion.…

    • 1081 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sexual Harassment

    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Sexual harassment is one of the biggest problems facing our schools and businesses today. A week rarely goes by without a reminder of the pervasiveness of sexual harassment as a social problem. Sexual harassment is a growing problem in the government agencies, schools, and the corporations of the world; however, many corporations are now adopting new anti-harassment policies.(Conta) The definition of sexual harassment is any unwanted or inappropriate sexual attention.…

    • 1640 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays