Sheet 46
SEXUAL HAIIASSMENT
Sexual harassment has recently received enormous attention from the media after several cases were filed by victims demanding huge figures of indemnity. How should supervisors deal with the problem of sexual harassment ?
1 Definition of Sexual Harassment
The standard definition of sexual harassment has been fine tuned through the results of sexual harassment cases and decisions on where to draw the line on whether or not to provide legal compensation. This definition may be summarized as follows.
"Unwelcomed sexual conduct and discrimination in the workplace as a result of rejecting this or repetitive sexual conduct which has created a hostile environment."
From the above definition, the decision on whether or not the conduct constitutes sexual harassment depends entirely on how the victim feels as a result. The intent of the culprit is irrelevant. Excuses such as "I was only kidding" are immaterial. Employees must take the feelings of others into consideration as a first step to avoiding such conflict. This is the basic principle of establishing good human relations with others.
The above definition is a judicial one that has been reached to decide whether to provide legal compensation or not. In terms of constructing a good working environment, this definition must be extended much further. A single minor sexual offense, for example, may not be subject to legal compensation but must nevertheless be banned from the office. Sexual conduct, in any form, must not be tolerated at work, even if it is mutually consented to between the individuals involved.
2 Cost of Sexual Harassment
Research has shown that over fifty percent of female employees have, at some stage in their career, been victim to sexual harassment at work. Studies in the public sector have shown similar results.
Damage to a victim of sexual harassment may be visible in that they have been fired, made to resign or been forced to take a leave of absence from work. Other damage may go unnoticed in that the victim's standard of work may fall or they suffer acute depression. Morale in the office may disappear and the atmosphere among staff become uneasy. Sexual harassment has a negative impact on the image of the entire organization.
3 Causes of Sexual Harassment
One of the main causes of sexual conflict is that men and women, speaking very generally, supposedly have different set of standards regarding sexual conduct. In theory, men have been portrayed as more likely to condone casual sexual conduct than women. Women are thought to, in theory, reject sexual advances outside a love relationship. Statistics have shown that certain types of men do not consider female employees equal at work. Misguided, these people perhaps imagine that the sole purpose of female employees is to assist and comfort men.
