SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORK PLACE

Sexual Harassment In The Work Place

Sexual Harassment In The Work Place

The Problem

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) describes sexual harassment as a form of gender discrimination that is in violation of Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. In 1998, the U.S.

Supreme Court made employers more liable for sexual harassment of their employees. Moreover, the The Society for Human Resource Management has reported that 62% of companies now offer sexual harassment prevention training programs, and 97% have a written sexual harassment policy.

Statistics

Below is a brief listing of recent harassment statistics. However, it is important to point out that these only discuss formal complaints, and that the vast number of sexual harassment situations go unreported. The number of grievance filed with the EEOC has gradually decreased over the last decade. In 1997, close to 16,000 charges were filed. In fiscal year 2007, this number dropped to 12,510.

The majority of complaints come from women, however the number of complaints filed by men is increasing, along with increasing numbers of men filing against female supervisors. In 2007, 16% of complaints filed with the EEOC were filed by men. In a 2004 study by Lawyers.com and Glamour Magazine, 17% of men said they had experienced sexual harassment, and vs. 35% of women. A 2006 government study in the United Kingdom revealed that 2 out of 5 sexual harassment victims in the UK are male, with 8% percent of all sexual harassment complaints to the Equal Opportunities Commission (Britain's EEOC), coming from men.

A telephone poll by Louis Harris and Associates on 782 U.S. workers revealed:

?31% of the female workers reported they had been harassed at work

?7% of the male workers reported they had been harassed at work

?62% of targets took no action

?100% of women reported the harasser was a man

?59% of men reported the harasser was a woman

?41% of men reported the harasser was another man

Of the women who had been harassed:

?43% were harassed by a supervisor

?27% were harassed by an employee senior to them

?19% were harassed by a coworker at their level

?8% were harassed by a junior employee

Causes of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

The causes of sexual harassment at work can be complex, and steeped in socialization, politics, and psychology. Work relationships can be quite intimate and intense, and those involved share common interests. Employee's are dependant on each other for teamwork and support, and are dependant on their supervisor's approval for opportunities and career success. Supervisors and employers can grow accustomed to the power they have over their employees. Such closeness and intensity can blur the professional boundaries and lead people to step over the line. Politics can be a catalyst, and problems caused by poor management, workplace bullying, frustration, and job/financial insecurity, etc., can create hostile environments that leak over into working relationships. Personal problems can also be a factor, and sexual harassment can be a symptom of the effects of life traumas such as divorce, or death of a spouse or ...