What is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors.Sexual harassment includes a range of actions from verbal transgressions to sexual abuse or assault.

Sexual harassment can include someone:

•touching, grabbing or making other physical contact without consent

•making comments to that have a sexual meaning

•asking for sex or sexual favours

•leering and staring

•displaying rude and offensive material so that you or others can see it

•making sexual gestures or suggestive body movements

•cracking sexual jokes and comments around or to you

•questioning you about your sex life

•insulting you with sexual comments

•behaviour on a phone call that makes you feel uncomfortable

•indecently exposing themselves to you

•sexually assaulting you.

Sexual harassment may take various forms, and can be said to exist on a range from seemingly mild transgressions to severe behaviour. In its more subtle forms, sexual harassment may include sexual jokes and innuendo, or unwanted and repetitive gestures of affection. In its more extreme forms, sexual harassment can invade a person’s life and escalate to stalking, physical assault, including attempted and actual rape, and murder.

Cyber harassment

While many forms of sexual harassment take place through person-to-person contact, sexual harassment is also happening at alarming rates through online technology.Email, blogs, social networking sites, chat rooms, dating websites, cell phone text messaging, etc. are all possible domains for sexual harassment. “Cyber-harassment,” as it is also known, can be carried out by anyone, including a co-worker, a manager, a housing provider, a fellow tenant, a fellow student, a teacher, school staff or a stranger. The growth of technology has created an unprecedented potential for the viral spread of online comment, photographs, video images, etc. The anonymity afforded by many forms of online communication may make it a vehicle of choice for harassers. However, organizations covered by the Code have a responsibility to maintain poison-free environments. To this end, they must be aware of the potential discriminatory effects when online technology is used on their premises for improper purposes.

Effects of sexual harrasment

Emotional effects:

Anger

Fear

Humiliation

Shame

Guilt

Betrayal

Violation

Powerlessness and loss of control

Mental health effects:

Anxiety

Depression

Panic attacks

PTSD

Difficulty concentrating

Loss of motivation

Substance abuse

Suicidal ideation

Physical effects:

Increased stress levels

Headaches

Fatigue

Sleep disturbances

Eating disturbances.

-Rimjhim Gautam