Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Thing of the Past? By Angie Davidson

Abstract  Sexual harassment affects both men and women worldwide. Although most documented cases of sexual harassment involve women as the plaintiffs, men are also subject to harassment. Sexual harassment in the workplace has always in some form existed. However, with the increased involvement of women in the work place beginning especially around World War II the cases of sexual harassment began to increase steadily. Today most businesses have strict anti-sexual harassment policies. However, the abuse continues. Sexual harassment is a dangerous practice which not only harms the individual being harassed, but also can prove detrimental to both the harasser and the company where the harassment is taking place through legal monetary compensation.

What constitutes sexual harassment?  The following may constitute Sexual Harassment b/c they directly or indirectly affect an individual’s employment, interfere with he/she’s work, or create a hostile work environment Unwelcome sexual advances Requests for sexual favors Verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature  U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission

Two types of work place sexual harassment  Quid pro quo When as individual is subject to sexual advances When conduct of a sexual nature is used as a basis for employer decisions affecting the individual When the individual is subject to such conduct a condition of employment  Hostile Environment When sexual conduct interferes with an individual’s job performance or creates a hostile, intimidating, or offensive environment May or may not result in tangible or economic job consequences

The Louis Harris and Associates Telephone Poll  March 28, 1994 Louis Harris Associates, a human service interest corporation conducted a telephone poll  There results are as follows

Statistics on workplace sexual harassment-1994  Figure 1.1 shows the percentages of men and women who reported to have been sexually harassed in the workplace  Of these individuals 62% took no action against the harasser Figure 1.1

Who initiates the harassment?  Figure 1.2 shows the percentages of the 39% of women who admitted to being harassed according to who initiated the harassment Figure 1.2

Who harasses who?  100 % of women reported to have been harassed by a man  Figure 1.3 shows the percentages of who harassed the men who answered yes in this survey Figure 1.3

What harm does sexual harassment cause?

What can be done to prevent sexual harassment?  Adopt a policy outlining company’s stance on sexual harassment  Make a sexual harassment informational program mandatory for all employees  Adopt a zero tolerance sexual harassment stance

Is sexual harassment declining?  Figure 2.1 demonstrates the shift which has been made since 1996 in the number of reported cases  A 1999 survey found that the percent of human resource executives investigating charges of sexual harassment have increased by 30 % Figure 2.1 Sexual Harassment Statistics: DB Pargman Diversity Training

What is the cost of harassment cases to U.S. companies?  Figure 3.1 demonstrates the total amount of money spent on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission case settlements in 1998 in the U.S. Figure 3.1

Conclusions  Sexual harassment is a dangerous practice which unfortunately has been steadily increasing in the U.S. for years  The effects of sexual harassment are not only detrimental to the individual being harassed but also the harasser and the company where the harassment is occurring  U.S. companies must adopt a policy of preventing sexual harassment to not only safe guard their employees but their bank accounts

Works Cited Miller, Leah. “Slaying Dragons.” Internal Auditor. Vol.56 Oct. 1999, 6-7. “Sexual Harassment.” Executive Report. Vol. 12. July. 1994, 8-9. Brown, James. “Sexual Harassment.” Executive Report. Vol. 14. July 1996,

Works Cited Cont… “Sexual Harassment Statistics.” DB Pargman Diversity Training Online. statssexual.htm “Statistics on Sexual Harassment.” Capstone Group Online.

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