Know How to Deal with Sexual Harassment at Work

Last updated on December 14, 2015

Being a victim of sexual harassment can leave one feeling offended and stripped of their dignity. It is unfortunate that this form of human rights violation is not a rare occurrence at the workplace. Many people are reluctant to complain about it for fear of losing their job or the embarrassment that comes with complaining about such an issue. Other victims may feel that it is just part of life that they have to put up with. Often, they are told to “lighten up” or asked “where is your sense of humour?” However, no one should have to tolerate sexually offensive treatment from other people. If a work college or even a superior at work makes you feel uncomfortable with their sexual comments or conduct, here are some of the steps you should take to put an end to this.

Ask the Aggressor to Stop

The first logical step to take is of course talking to the harasser. Let the person offending you know that their behaviour is inappropriate and unwelcome. During the confrontation, it would more helpful if there are other people around to serve as witnesses on your attempt to caution the aggressor. Make sure also to speak clearly and solemnly to avoid trivializing the matter.

You should understand that people of different ages, cultures and backgrounds possibly don’t realize how their conduct affects you. It may be that their perception of sexually offensive acts is different from yours and they did not realize that you found their behaviour offensive. As a result of these issues, warning the sexual harasser to stop the offensive behaviour can sometimes be enough to solve the problem.

What if the Behaviour Continues?

If an attempt to warn the perpetrator yields no positive results in your favour, the next step is to report that person to your immediate superior. Different companies have varying protocols on how to file complaints. However, if you find that your immediate senior supervisor does not take the matter seriously, you should take the complaint to a higher authority in your organization. For instance, a HR manager may be more experienced and informed on cases of employee discrimination and thus should be able to assist you accordingly.

Taking Further Action

What if reporting the problem to your superiors does not help, or what do you do if the sexual harasser is your employer? If this is the situation you find yourself in, it may be good to seek legal counsel. Of course, you will want to find lawyers who are experienced in sexual harassment cases in your local area. So, for instance if you are looking for the best employment lawyers Aberdeen has to offer, ensure that they have handled cases of this nature before to increase your odds of winning a law suit.

In many states, there are organizations that assist employees who have been sexually harassed but failed to get any help after filing complaints to their employers. In the UK for example, Employment Tribunals are external committees that assess whether employers acted unlawfully when accused of sexually harassing their employees. As such, you can seek help from these committees.

Whichever way you choose to take legal action on sexual harassment, you will need to prove your claims. You can collect evidence by:

• Keeping letters, notes, texts, or emails sent to you by the harasser
• Taking testimonies of other people who have been previous victims of the harasser
• Recording accounts of incidents that take place in a journal

Remember, you have the legal right not to be sexually harassed at work. You can deal with this menace effectively when it occurs by using the information and tips shared above in this post.