Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Introduction

Sexual Harassment

The term sexual harassment can be defined as the unwelcome sexual approaches, they may include the requests for sexual favors and any other act which is sexual in nature, and may it be verbal or physical. A victim of sexual harassment may be exposed to such a conduct implicitly or explicitly, most of the times it is in terms of employment of an individual. Any such sexual activity within the workplace is often used as the basis for the decisions that are made for victim's employment.

The term unwelcome that is used in the definition given above does not mean involuntary, the victim of sexual harassment may participate in such an objectionable act. It depends on the victim if any conduct of sexual nature is he or she may unwelcome. Whether it is a sexual comment, an invitation for a date or a mere sex oriented joke, it all depends on how it is perceived and the circumstances.

Sexual harassment may include many things such as:

Attempt to rape

Request for sexual favors

Intentional touching, cornering and pinching

Sex-oriented gestures

Excessive phone calls, text messages of sexual nature

Personal queries

Discussing sexual fantasies

Looking with elevator eyes

Double meaning discussions

Blocking someone's way

And many more

Historical perspective

The foot prints of the problem of sexual harassment leads way back to the times of Chattel Slavery. The African-American women who were involved in the domestic services were possibly the pioneer victims to suffer the sexual harassment. Though, a few of the studies suggest that the sexual harassment in the workplace was initiated in the era of Industrial revolution, however researchers claim to find the women being victims of sexual harassments since 1880's, mostly while being in the household services or working in the factories, even more targeted in the garment and meat packing industry.

Gender roles were dichotomized by the economies of capitalist markets, which were strengthened by the Industrial Revolution. At that time, finding a job in the outer environment became distinct, only domestic services jobs were available. Due to such circumstances women were made to work while the men left the jobs due to the wars. In the time when there was peace only a few women were treated as co-workers by men otherwise women were less skilled and were allowed to continue their jobs treated as toys. Women used to work for their families, saying no to work meant no food for the family, which eventually means saying no to the sexual advancements of the male counterpart at work means saying no to job.

Does workplace sexual harassment matter?

Let the consequences at the employers perspective and the employee's perspective decide the answer to the question above.

Employer Side

Cost of Sexual Harassment to Company

Sexual harassment causes the biggest damage to the company, as it drastically reduces the productivity of the company, the overall moral and the motivation level among the workers. The decrease in productivity from the side of victim is obvious, but other than the victim the other workers who are aware of the wrong ...