Essay on Sexual Harassment

500 words essay on sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment refers to any form of unwelcome sexual behaviour which is offensive, humiliating and intimidating. Further, it is against the law to sexually harass anyone. Over the years, sexual harassment has taken a lot of time to be recognized as a real issue. Nonetheless, it is a start that can protect people from this harassment. The essay on sexual harassment will take you through the details.

essay on sexual harassment

Sexual Harassment and Its Impacts

Sexual harassment comes in many forms and not just a single one. It includes when someone tries to touch, grab or make other physical contacts with you without your consent. Further, it also includes passing comments which have a sexual meaning.

After that, it is also when someone asks you for sexual favours. Leering and staring continuously also counts as one. You are being sexually harassed when the perpetrator displays rude and offensive material so that others can see it.

Another form is making sexual gestures towards you and cracking sexual jokes or comments towards you. It is also not acceptable for someone to question you about your sexual life or insult you with sexual comments.

Further, making an obscene phone call or indecently exposing oneself also counts as sexual harassment. Sexual harassment can impact a person severely. It may stress out the victim and they may suffer from anxiety or depression.

Moreover, it can also cause them to withdraw from social situations. After that, the victim also starts to lose confidence and self-esteem. There may also be physical symptoms like headaches, sleep problems and being not able to concentrate or be productive.

What Can We Do

No one in this world deserves to go through sexual harassment, whether man or woman. We all have the right to live freely without being harassed, bullied or discriminated against. It is the reason why sexual harassment is illegal.

To begin with, the person may try talking to the offender and convey their message regarding their unwanted behaviour. Further, it is also essential to stay informed about this issue. Make sure to learn about the policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment in your workplace, school or university.

Further, try to document everything to help you remember the name of the offenders and the incidents. Similarly, make sure to save any evidence you get which will help with your complaint. For instance, keeping the text messages, emails, photos or more.

Most importantly, always try to get external information and advice from people who will help you if you decide to file a lawsuit. Likewise, never deal with it on your own and share it with someone you trust to lighten your load.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of the Essay on Sexual Harassment

To conclude, sexual harassment is a very real issue that went unnoticed for a long period of time, but not anymore. It is essential for all of us to take measures to prevent it from happening as it damages the life of the victim severely. Thus, make sure you help out those who are suffering from sexual harassment and make the perpetrator accountable.

FAQ of Essay on Sexual Harassment

Question 1: What are the effects of sexual harassment?

Answer 1: Sexual harassment has major effects on the victim like suffering from significant psychological effects which include anxiety, depression , headaches, sleep disorders, lowered self-esteem, sexual dysfunction and more.

Question 2: How do you tell if someone is sexually harassing you?

Answer 2: It is essential to notice the signs if you feel someone is sexually harassing you. The most important sign is if you feel uncomfortable and experience any unwanted physical contact. If your ‘no’ does not have an impact and you’re being subjected to sexual jokes, you are being sexually harassed.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

tutor

  • Travelling Essay
  • Picnic Essay
  • Our Country Essay
  • My Parents Essay
  • Essay on Favourite Personality
  • Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
  • Essay on Knowledge is Power
  • Essay on Gurpurab
  • Essay on My Favourite Season
  • Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Google Play

Logo

Essay on Sexual Harassment

Students are often asked to write an essay on Sexual Harassment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Sexual Harassment

Understanding sexual harassment.

Sexual harassment is a serious issue. It involves unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. It can occur in various settings like schools, workplaces, and public places.

Impact of Sexual Harassment

Victims of sexual harassment may experience emotional distress, fear, and anxiety. It can impact their work or school performance and overall well-being. It’s crucial to stand against it and support victims.

Preventing Sexual Harassment

Education is key to preventing sexual harassment. Understanding consent and respecting boundaries can help. Also, schools and workplaces should have strict policies against it.

250 Words Essay on Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment, a pervasive societal issue, is an unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that can undermine an individual’s personal dignity and safety. It is a manifestation of power imbalance, often occurring in environments such as workplaces, educational institutions, and public spaces.

The Types of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can be categorized into two types: ‘quid pro quo’ and ‘hostile environment’. ‘Quid pro quo’ refers to instances where job benefits are made contingent on sexual favors. ‘Hostile environment’ includes any unwelcome sexual behavior that creates an intimidating or offensive atmosphere.

The impact of sexual harassment is profound, often leading to psychological, physical, and occupational consequences. It can cause anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among victims, disrupt their work or academic performance, and even lead to job loss or dropout.

Addressing Sexual Harassment

Addressing sexual harassment necessitates a comprehensive approach. It involves creating awareness, implementing stringent laws, and promoting a culture of respect. Education plays a crucial role in fostering understanding about consent and the importance of treating all individuals with dignity.

Sexual harassment is a grave issue that requires collective effort to combat. By fostering a culture of respect and implementing strong legal measures, society can create a safe environment for all individuals. The fight against sexual harassment is not just a legal battle, but a moral one that shapes the fabric of our society.

500 Words Essay on Sexual Harassment

Introduction.

Sexual harassment, a pervasive issue in society, is a form of gender-based violence that infringes upon an individual’s fundamental rights. It is a complex phenomenon that transcends all social, economic, and cultural boundaries, manifesting in various forms such as unwelcome sexual advances, verbal or physical harassment, and requests for sexual favors.

Sexual harassment is characterized by its unwelcome nature, where the victim feels uncomfortable, threatened, or violated. It is crucial to understand that it is the impact on the victim, not the intent of the perpetrator, that determines whether an act constitutes harassment. This behavior can occur in various settings, including workplaces, educational institutions, and public spaces, and can have severe psychological, physical, and socio-economic effects on the victim.

The Legal Perspective

From a legal standpoint, sexual harassment is recognized as a violation of human rights. Numerous international conventions and national laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act in the U.S. or the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act in India, have been enacted to protect individuals from such behavior. These laws aim to maintain a safe and respectful environment for all, emphasizing the importance of consent and respect in interpersonal relationships.

The Societal Impact

The societal impact of sexual harassment is profound. It perpetuates gender inequality, inhibits social development, and undermines the dignity and potential of the victims. The fear and stigma associated with sexual harassment often discourage victims from reporting, leading to underreporting and a lack of justice. This silence further emboldens the perpetrators and perpetuates a culture of impunity.

Preventive Measures and Solutions

Addressing sexual harassment requires a comprehensive approach. Education plays a critical role in prevention, with emphasis on teaching respect, consent, and gender equality from a young age. Institutions must also implement strict anti-harassment policies, provide safe reporting mechanisms, and ensure that complaints are taken seriously and dealt with promptly.

Furthermore, it is essential to foster an environment that supports victims and encourages them to speak out. This requires challenging societal norms that blame victims and perpetuate silence. Instead, society should focus on holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

Sexual harassment is a grave violation of human rights and a significant barrier to achieving gender equality. Despite its pervasive nature, it is not inevitable. Through education, legislation, and societal change, it is possible to create a world where everyone is treated with respect and dignity. The responsibility to combat sexual harassment lies with all of us, and it is through collective action that we can effect meaningful change.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

  • Essay on Self Reliance
  • Essay on Romeo and Juliet
  • Essay on Responsibility

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

One Comment

Thanks po sa answer

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

National Academies Press: OpenBook

Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2018)

Chapter: 7 findings, conclusions, and recommendations, 7 findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

Preventing and effectively addressing sexual harassment of women in colleges and universities is a significant challenge, but we are optimistic that academic institutions can meet that challenge—if they demonstrate the will to do so. This is because the research shows what will work to prevent sexual harassment and why it will work. A systemwide change to the culture and climate in our nation’s colleges and universities can stop the pattern of harassing behavior from impacting the next generation of women entering science, engineering, and medicine.

Changing the current culture and climate requires addressing all forms of sexual harassment, not just the most egregious cases; moving beyond legal compliance; supporting targets when they come forward; improving transparency and accountability; diffusing the power structure between faculty and trainees; and revising organizational systems and structures to value diversity, inclusion, and respect. Leaders at every level within academia will be needed to initiate these changes and to establish and maintain the culture and norms. However, to succeed in making these changes, all members of our nation’s college campuses—students, faculty, staff, and administrators—will need to assume responsibility for promoting a civil and respectful environment. It is everyone’s responsibility to stop sexual harassment.

In this spirit of optimism, we offer the following compilation of the report’s findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

Chapter 2: sexual harassment research.

  • Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that consists of three types of harassing behavior: (1) gender harassment (verbal and nonverbal behaviors that convey hostility, objectification, exclusion, or second-class status about members of one gender); (2) unwanted sexual attention (unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advances, which can include assault); and (3) sexual coercion (when favorable professional or educational treatment is conditioned on sexual activity). The distinctions between the types of harassment are important, particularly because many people do not realize that gender harassment is a form of sexual harassment.
  • Sexually harassing behavior can be either direct (targeted at an individual) or ambient (a general level of sexual harassment in an environment) and is harmful in both cases. It is considered illegal when it creates a hostile environment (gender harassment or unwanted sexual attention that is “severe or pervasive” enough to alter the conditions of employment, interfere with one’s work performance, or impede one’s ability to get an education) or when it is quid pro quo sexual harassment (when favorable professional or educational treatment is conditioned on sexual activity).
  • There are reliable scientific methods for determining the prevalence of sexual harassment. To measure the incidence of sexual harassment, surveys should follow the best practices that have emerged from the science of sexual harassment. This includes use of the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire, the most widely used and well-validated instrument available for measuring sexual harassment; assessment of specific behaviors without requiring the respondent to label the behaviors “sexual harassment”; focus on first-hand experience or observation of behavior (rather than rumor or hearsay); and focus on the recent past (1–2 years, to avoid problems of memory decay). Relying on the number of official reports of sexual harassment made to an organization is not an accurate method for determining the prevalence.
  • Some surveys underreport the incidence of sexual harassment because they have not followed standard and valid practices for survey research and sexual harassment research.
  • While properly conducted surveys are the best methods for estimating the prevalence of sexual harassment, other salient aspects of sexual harassment and its consequences can be examined using other research methods , such as behavioral laboratory experiments, interviews, case studies, ethnographies, and legal research. Such studies can provide information about the presence and nature of sexually harassing behavior in an organization, how it develops and continues (and influences the organizational climate), and how it attenuates or amplifies outcomes from sexual harassment.
  • Women experience sexual harassment more often than men do.
  • Gender harassment (e.g., behaviors that communicate that women do not belong or do not merit respect) is by far the most common type of sexual harassment. When an environment is pervaded by gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion become more likely to occur—in part because unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion are almost never experienced by women without simultaneously experiencing gender harassment.
  • Men are more likely than women to commit sexual harassment.
  • Coworkers and peers more often commit sexual harassment than do superiors.
  • Sexually harassing behaviors are not typically isolated incidents; rather, they are a series or pattern of sometimes escalating incidents and behaviors.
  • Women of color experience more harassment (sexual, racial/ethnic, or combination of the two) than white women, white men, and men of color do. Women of color often experience sexual harassment that includes racial harassment.
  • Sexual- and gender-minority people experience more sexual harassment than heterosexual women do.
  • The two characteristics of environments most associated with higher rates of sexual harassment are (a) male-dominated gender ratios and leadership and (b) an organizational climate that communicates tolerance of sexual harassment (e.g., leadership that fails to take complaints seriously, fails to sanction perpetrators, or fails to protect complainants from retaliation).
  • Organizational climate is, by far, the greatest predictor of the occurrence of sexual harassment, and ameliorating it can prevent people from sexually harassing others. A person more likely to engage in harassing behaviors is significantly less likely to do so in an environment that does not support harassing behaviors and/or has strong, clear, transparent consequences for these behaviors.

Chapter 3: Sexual Harassment in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine

  • Male-dominated environment , with men in positions of power and authority.
  • Organizational tolerance for sexually harassing behavior (e.g., failing to take complaints seriously, failing to sanction perpetrators, or failing to protect complainants from retaliation).
  • Hierarchical and dependent relationships between faculty and their trainees (e.g., students, postdoctoral fellows, residents).
  • Isolating environments (e.g., labs, field sites, and hospitals) in which faculty and trainees spend considerable time.
  • Greater than 50 percent of women faculty and staff and 20–50 percent of women students encounter or experience sexually harassing conduct in academia.
  • Women students in academic medicine experience more frequent gender harassment perpetrated by faculty/staff than women students in science and engineering.
  • Women students/trainees encounter or experience sexual harassment perpetrated by faculty/staff and also by other students/trainees.
  • Women faculty encounter or experience sexual harassment perpetrated by other faculty/staff and also by students/trainees.
  • Women students, trainees, and faculty in academic medical centers experience sexual harassment by patients and patients’ families in addition to the harassment they experience from colleagues and those in leadership positions.

Chapter 4: Outcomes of Sexual Harassment

  • When women experience sexual harassment in the workplace, the professional outcomes include declines in job satisfaction; withdrawal from their organization (i.e., distancing themselves from the work either physically or mentally without actually quitting, having thoughts or

intentions of leaving their job, and actually leaving their job); declines in organizational commitment (i.e., feeling disillusioned or angry with the organization); increases in job stress; and declines in productivity or performance.

  • When students experience sexual harassment, the educational outcomes include declines in motivation to attend class, greater truancy, dropping classes, paying less attention in class, receiving lower grades, changing advisors, changing majors, and transferring to another educational institution, or dropping out.
  • Gender harassment has adverse effects. Gender harassment that is severe or occurs frequently over a period of time can result in the same level of negative professional and psychological outcomes as isolated instances of sexual coercion. Gender harassment, often considered a “lesser,” more inconsequential form of sexual harassment, cannot be dismissed when present in an organization.
  • The greater the frequency, intensity, and duration of sexually harassing behaviors, the more women report symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety, and generally negative effects on psychological well-being.
  • The more women are sexually harassed in an environment, the more they think about leaving, and end up leaving as a result of the sexual harassment.
  • The more power a perpetrator has over the target, the greater the impacts and negative consequences experienced by the target.
  • For women of color, preliminary research shows that when the sexual harassment occurs simultaneously with other types of harassment (i.e., racial harassment), the experiences can have more severe consequences for them.
  • Sexual harassment has adverse effects that affect not only the targets of harassment but also bystanders, coworkers, workgroups, and entire organizations.
  • Women cope with sexual harassment in a variety of ways, most often by ignoring or appeasing the harasser and seeking social support.
  • The least common response for women is to formally report the sexually harassing experience. For many, this is due to an accurate perception that they may experience retaliation or other negative outcomes associated with their personal and professional lives.
  • The dependence on advisors and mentors for career advancement.
  • The system of meritocracy that does not account for the declines in productivity and morale as a result of sexual harassment.
  • The “macho” culture in some fields.
  • The informal communication network , in which rumors and accusations are spread within and across specialized programs and fields.
  • The cumulative effect of sexual harassment is significant damage to research integrity and a costly loss of talent in academic science, engineering, and medicine. Women faculty in science, engineering, and medicine who experience sexual harassment report three common professional outcomes: stepping down from leadership opportunities to avoid the perpetrator, leaving their institution, and leaving their field altogether.

Chapter 5: Existing Legal and Policy Mechanisms for Addressing Sexual Harassment

  • An overly legalistic approach to the problem of sexual harassment is likely to misjudge the true nature and scope of the problem. Sexual harassment law and policy development has focused narrowly on the sexualized and coercive forms of sexual harassment, not on the gender harassment type that research has identified as much more prevalent and at times equally harmful.
  • Much of the sexual harassment that women experience and that damages women and their careers in science, engineering, and medicine does not meet the legal criteria of illegal discrimination under current law.
  • Private entities, such as companies and private universities, are legally allowed to keep their internal policies and procedures—and their research on those policies and procedures—confidential, thereby limiting the research that can be done on effective policies for preventing and handling sexual harassment.
  • Various legal policies, and the interpretation of such policies, enable academic institutions to maintain secrecy and/or confidentiality regarding outcomes of sexual harassment investigations, arbitration, and settlement agreements. Colleagues may also hesitate to warn one another about sexual harassment concerns in the hiring or promotion context out of fear of legal repercussions (i.e., being sued for defamation and/or discrimination). This lack of transparency in the adjudication process within organizations can cover up sexual harassment perpetrated by repeat or serial harassers. This creates additional barriers to researchers

and others studying harassment claims and outcomes, and is also a barrier to determining the effectiveness of policies and procedures.

  • Title IX, Title VII, and case law reflect the inaccurate assumption that a target of sexual harassment will promptly report the harassment without worrying about retaliation. Effectively addressing sexual harassment through the law, institutional policies or procedures, or cultural change requires taking into account that targets of sexual harassment are unlikely to report harassment and often face retaliation for reporting (despite this being illegal).
  • Fears of legal liability may prevent institutions from being willing to effectively evaluate training for its measurable impact on reducing harassment. Educating employees via sexual harassment training is commonly implemented as a central component of demonstrating to courts that institutions have “exercised reasonable care to prevent and correct promptly any sexually harassing behavior.” However, research has not demonstrated that such training prevents sexual harassment. Thus, if institutions evaluated their training programs, they would likely find them to be ineffective, which, in turn, could raise fears within institutions of their risk for liability because they would then knowingly not be exercising reasonable care.
  • Holding individuals and institutions responsible for sexual harassment and demonstrating that sexual harassment is a serious issue requires U.S. federal funding agencies to be aware when principal investigators, co-principal investigators, and grant personnel have violated sexual harassment policies. It is unclear whether and how federal agencies will take action beyond the requirements of Title IX and Title VII to ensure that federal grants, composed of taxpayers’ dollars, are not supporting research, academic institutions, or programs in which sexual harassment is ongoing and not being addressed. Federal science agencies usually indicate (e.g., in requests for proposals or other announcements) that they have a “no-tolerance” policy for sexual harassment. In general, federal agencies rely on the grantee institutions to investigate and follow through on Title IX violations. By not assessing and addressing the role of institutions and professional organizations in enabling individual sexual harassers, federal agencies may be perpetuating the problem of sexual harassment.
  • To address the effect sexual harassment has on the integrity of research, parts of the federal government and several professional societies are beginning to focus more broadly on policies about research integrity and on codes of ethics rather than on the narrow definition of research misconduct. A powerful incentive for change may be missed if sexual harassment is not considered equally important as research misconduct, in terms of its effect on the integrity of research.

Chapter 6: Changing the Culture and Climate in Higher Education

  • A systemwide change to the culture and climate in higher education is required to prevent and effectively address all three forms of sexual harassment. Despite significant attention in recent years, there is no evidence to suggest that current policies, procedures, and approaches have resulted in a significant reduction in sexual harassment. It is time to consider approaches that address the systems, cultures, and climates that enable sexual harassment to perpetuate.
  • Strong and effective leaders at all levels in the organization are required to make the systemwide changes to climate and culture in higher education. The leadership of the organization—at every level—plays a significant role in establishing and maintaining an organization’s culture and norms. However, leaders in academic institutions rarely have leadership training to thoughtfully address culture and climate issues, and the leadership training that exists is often of poor quality.
  • Evidence-based, effective intervention strategies are available for enhancing gender diversity in hiring practices.
  • Focusing evaluation and reward structures on cooperation and collegiality rather than solely on individual-level teaching and research performance metrics could have a significant impact on improving the environment in academia.
  • Evidence-based, effective intervention strategies are available for raising levels of interpersonal civility and respect in workgroups and teams.
  • An organization that is committed to improving organizational climate must address issues of bias in academia. Training to reduce personal bias can cause larger-scale changes in departmental behaviors in an academic setting.
  • Skills-based training that centers on bystander intervention promotes a culture of support, not one of silence. By calling out negative behaviors on the spot, all members of an academic community are helping to create a culture where abusive behavior is seen as an aberration, not as the norm.
  • Reducing hierarchical power structures and diffusing power more broadly among faculty and trainees can reduce the risk of sexual ha

rassment. Departments and institutions could take the following approaches for diffusing power:

  • Make use of egalitarian leadership styles that recognize that people at all levels of experience and expertise have important insights to offer.
  • Adopt mentoring networks or committee-based advising that allows for a diversity of potential pathways for advice, funding, support, and informal reporting of harassment.
  • Develop ways the research funding can be provided to the trainee rather than just the principal investigator.
  • Take on the responsibility for preserving the potential work of the research team and trainees by redistributing the funding if a principal investigator cannot continue the work because he/she has created a climate that fosters sexual harassment and guaranteeing funding to trainees if the institution or a funder pulls funding from the principal investigator because of sexual harassment.
  • Orienting students, trainees, faculty, and staff, at all levels, to the academic institution’s culture and its policies and procedures for handling sexual harassment can be an important piece of establishing a climate that demonstrates sexual harassment is not tolerated and targets will be supported.
  • Institutions could build systems of response that empower targets by providing alternative and less formal means of accessing support services, recording information, and reporting incidents without fear of retaliation.
  • Supporting student targets also includes helping them to manage their education and training over the long term.
  • Confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements isolate sexual harassment targets by limiting their ability to speak with others about their experiences and can serve to shield perpetrators who have harassed people repeatedly.
  • Key components of clear anti-harassment policies are that they are quickly and easily digested (i.e., using one-page flyers or infographics and not in legally dense language) and that they clearly state that people will be held accountable for violating the policy.
  • A range of progressive/escalating disciplinary consequences (such as counseling, changes in work responsibilities, reductions in pay/benefits, and suspension or dismissal) that corresponds to the severity and frequency of the misconduct has the potential of correcting behavior before it escalates and without significantly disrupting an academic program.
  • In an effort to change behavior and improve the climate, it may also be appropriate for institutions to undertake some rehabilitation-focused measures, even though these may not be sanctions per se.
  • For the people in an institution to understand that the institution does not tolerate sexual harassment, it must show that it does investigate and then hold perpetrators accountable in a reasonable timeframe. Institutions can anonymize the basic information and provide regular reports that convey how many reports are being investigated and what the outcomes are from the investigation.
  • An approach for improving transparency and demonstrating that the institution takes sexual harassment seriously is to encourage internal review of its policies, procedures, and interventions for addressing sexual harassment, and to have interactive dialogues with members of their campus community (especially expert researchers on these topics) around ways to improve the culture and climate and change behavior.
  • Cater training to specific populations; in academia this would include students, postdoctoral fellows, staff, faculty, and those in leadership.
  • Attend to the institutional motivation for training , which can impact the effectiveness of the training; for instance, compliance-based approaches have limited positive impact.
  • Conduct training using live qualified trainers and offer trainees specific examples of inappropriate conduct. We note that a great deal of sexual harassment training today is offered via an online mini-course or the viewing of a short video.
  • Describe standards of behavior clearly and accessibly (e.g., avoiding legal and technical terms).
  • To the extent that the training literature provides broad guidelines for creating impactful training that can change climate and behavior, they include the following:
  • Establish standards of behavior rather than solely seek to influence attitudes and beliefs. Clear communication of behavioral expectations, and teaching of behavioral skills, is essential.
  • Conduct training in adherence to best standards , including appropriate pre-training needs assessment and evaluation of its effectiveness.
  • Creating a climate that prevents sexual harassment requires measuring the climate in relation to sexual harassment, diversity, and respect, and assessing progress in reducing sexual harassment.
  • Efforts to incentivize systemwide changes, such as Athena SWAN, 1 are crucial to motivating organizations and departments within organizations to make the necessary changes.
  • Enacting new codes of conduct and new rules related specifically to conference attendance.
  • Including sexual harassment in codes of ethics and investigating reports of sexual harassment. (This is a new responsibility for professional societies, and these organizations are considering how to take into consideration the law, home institutions, due process, and careful reporting when dealing with reports of sexual harassment.)
  • Requiring members to acknowledge, in writing, the professional society’s rules and codes of conduct relating to sexual harassment during conference registration and during membership sign-up and renewal.
  • Supporting and designing programs that prevent harassment and provide skills to intervene when someone is being harassed.
  • Strengthening statements on sexual harassment, bullying, and discrimination in professional societies’ codes of conduct, with a few defining it as research misconduct.
  • Factoring in harassment-related professional misconduct into scientific award decisions.
  • Professional societies have the potential to be powerful drivers of change through their capacity to help educate, train, codify, and reinforce cultural expectations for their respective scientific, engineering, and medical communities. Some professional societies have taken action to prevent and respond to sexual harassment among their membership. Although each professional society has taken a slightly different approach to addressing sexual harassment, there are some shared approaches, including the following:

___________________

1 Athena SWAN (Scientific Women’s Academic Network). See https://www.ecu.ac.uk/equalitycharters/athena-swan/ .

  • There are many promising approaches to changing the culture and climate in academia; however, further research assessing the effects and values of the following approaches is needed to identify best practices:
  • Policies, procedures, trainings, and interventions, specifically how they prevent and stop sexually harassing behavior, alter perception of organizational tolerance for sexually harassing behavior, and reduce the negative consequences from reporting the incidents. This includes informal and formal reporting mechanisms, bystander intervention training, academic leadership training, sexual harassment training, interventions to improve civility, mandatory reporting requirements, and approaches to supporting and improving communication with the target.
  • Mechanisms for target-led resolution options and mechanisms by which the target has a role in deciding what happens to the perpetrator, including restorative justice practices.
  • Mechanisms for protecting targets from retaliation.
  • Rehabilitation-focused measures for disciplining perpetrators.
  • Incentive systems for encouraging leaders in higher education to address the issues of sexual harassment on campus.

RECOMMENDATIONS

RECOMMENDATION 1: Create diverse, inclusive, and respectful environments.

  • Academic institutions and their leaders should take explicit steps to achieve greater gender and racial equity in hiring and promotions, and thus improve the representation of women at every level.
  • Academic institutions and their leaders should take steps to foster greater cooperation, respectful work behavior, and professionalism at the faculty, staff, and student/trainee levels, and should evaluate faculty and staff on these criteria in hiring and promotion.
  • Academic institutions should combine anti-harassment efforts with civility-promotion programs.
  • Academic institutions should cater their training to specific populations (in academia these should include students/trainees, staff, faculty, and those in leadership) and should follow best practices in designing training programs. Training should be viewed as the means of providing the skills needed by all members of the academic community, each of whom has a role to play in building a positive organizational climate focused on safety and respect, and not simply as a method of ensuring compliance with laws.
  • Academic institutions should utilize training approaches that develop skills among participants to interrupt and intervene when inappropriate behavior occurs. These training programs should be evaluated to deter

mine whether they are effective and what aspects of the training are most important to changing culture.

  • Anti–sexual harassment training programs should focus on changing behavior, not on changing beliefs. Programs should focus on clearly communicating behavioral expectations, specifying consequences for failing to meet these expectations, and identifying the mechanisms to be utilized when these expectations are not met. Training programs should not be based on the avoidance of legal liability.

RECOMMENDATION 2: Address the most common form of sexual harassment: gender harassment.

Leaders in academic institutions and research and training sites should pay increased attention to and enact policies that cover gender harassment as a means of addressing the most common form of sexual harassment and of preventing other types of sexually harassing behavior.

RECOMMENDATION 3: Move beyond legal compliance to address culture and climate.

Academic institutions, research and training sites, and federal agencies should move beyond interventions or policies that represent basic legal compliance and that rely solely on formal reports made by targets. Sexual harassment needs to be addressed as a significant culture and climate issue that requires institutional leaders to engage with and listen to students and other campus community members.

RECOMMENDATION 4: Improve transparency and accountability.

  • Academic institutions need to develop—and readily share—clear, accessible, and consistent policies on sexual harassment and standards of behavior. They should include a range of clearly stated, appropriate, and escalating disciplinary consequences for perpetrators found to have violated sexual harassment policy and/or law. The disciplinary actions taken should correspond to the severity and frequency of the harassment. The disciplinary actions should not be something that is often considered a benefit for faculty, such as a reduction in teaching load or time away from campus service responsibilities. Decisions regarding disciplinary actions, if indicated or required, should be made in a fair and timely way following an investigative process that is fair to all sides. 2
  • Academic institutions should be as transparent as possible about how they are handling reports of sexual harassment. This requires balancing issues of confidentiality with issues of transparency. Annual reports,

2 Further detail on processes and guidance for how to fairly and appropriately investigate and adjudicate these issues are not provided because they are complex issues that were beyond the scope of this study.

that provide information on (1) how many and what type of policy violations have been reported (both informally and formally), (2) how many reports are currently under investigation, and (3) how many have been adjudicated, along with general descriptions of any disciplinary actions taken, should be shared with the entire academic community: students, trainees, faculty, administrators, staff, alumni, and funders. At the very least, the results of the investigation and any disciplinary action should be shared with the target(s) and/or the person(s) who reported the behavior.

  • Academic institutions should be accountable for the climate within their organization. In particular, they should utilize climate surveys to further investigate and address systemic sexual harassment, particularly when surveys indicate specific schools or facilities have high rates of harassment or chronically fail to reduce rates of sexual harassment.
  • Academic institutions should consider sexual harassment equally important as research misconduct in terms of its effect on the integrity of research. They should increase collaboration among offices that oversee the integrity of research (i.e., those that cover ethics, research misconduct, diversity, and harassment issues); centralize resources, information, and expertise; provide more resources for handling complaints and working with targets; and implement sanctions on researchers found guilty of sexual harassment.

RECOMMENDATION 5: Diffuse the hierarchical and dependent relationship between trainees and faculty.

Academic institutions should consider power-diffusion mechanisms (i.e., mentoring networks or committee-based advising and departmental funding rather than funding only from a principal investigator) to reduce the risk of sexual harassment.

RECOMMENDATION 6: Provide support for the target.

Academic institutions should convey that reporting sexual harassment is an honorable and courageous action. Regardless of a target filing a formal report, academic institutions should provide means of accessing support services (social services, health care, legal, career/professional). They should provide alternative and less formal means of recording information about the experience and reporting the experience if the target is not comfortable filing a formal report. Academic institutions should develop approaches to prevent the target from experiencing or fearing retaliation in academic settings.

RECOMMENDATION 7: Strive for strong and diverse leadership.

  • College and university presidents, provosts, deans, department chairs, and program directors must make the reduction and prevention of sexual

harassment an explicit goal of their tenure. They should publicly state that the reduction and prevention of sexual harassment will be among their highest priorities, and they should engage students, faculty, and staff (and, where appropriate, the local community) in their efforts.

  • Academic institutions should support and facilitate leaders at every level (university, school/college, department, lab) in developing skills in leadership, conflict resolution, mediation, negotiation, and de-escalation, and should ensure a clear understanding of policies and procedures for handling sexual harassment issues. Additionally, these skills development programs should be customized to each level of leadership.
  • Leadership training programs for those in academia should include training on how to recognize and handle sexual harassment issues, and how to take explicit steps to create a culture and climate to reduce and prevent sexual harassment—and not just protect the institution against liability.

RECOMMENDATION 8: Measure progress.

Academic institutions should work with researchers to evaluate and assess their efforts to create a more diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment, and to create effective policies, procedures, and training programs. They should not rely on formal reports by targets for an understanding of sexual harassment on their campus.

  • When organizations study sexual harassment, they should follow the valid methodologies established by social science research on sexual harassment and should consult subject-matter experts. Surveys that attempt to ascertain the prevalence and types of harassment experienced by individuals should adopt the following practices: ensure confidentiality, use validated behavioral instruments such as the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire, and avoid specifically using the term “sexual harassment” in any survey or questionnaire.
  • Academic institutions should also conduct more wide-ranging assessments using measures in addition to campus climate surveys, for example, ethnography, focus groups, and exit interviews. These methods are especially important in smaller organizational units where surveys, which require more participants to yield meaningful data, might not be useful.
  • Organizations studying sexual harassment in their environments should take into consideration the particular experiences of people of color and sexual- and gender-minority people, and they should utilize methods that allow them to disaggregate their data by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity to reveal the different experiences across populations.
  • The results of climate surveys should be shared publicly to encourage transparency and accountability and to demonstrate to the campus community that the institution takes the issue seriously. One option would be for academic institutions to collaborate in developing a central repository for reporting their climate data, which could also improve the ability for research to be conducted on the effectiveness of institutional approaches.
  • Federal agencies and foundations should commit resources to develop a tool similar to ARC3, the Administrator-Researcher Campus Climate Collaborative, to understand and track the climate for faculty, staff, and postdoctoral fellows.

RECOMMENDATION 9: Incentivize change.

  • Academic institutions should work to apply for awards from the emerging STEM Equity Achievement (SEA Change) program. 3 Federal agencies and private foundations should encourage and support academic institutions working to achieve SEA Change awards.
  • Accreditation bodies should consider efforts to create diverse, inclusive, and respectful environments when evaluating institutions or departments.
  • Federal agencies should incentivize efforts to reduce sexual harassment in academia by requiring evaluations of the research environment, funding research and evaluation of training for students and faculty (including bystander intervention), supporting the development and evaluation of leadership training for faculty, and funding research on effective policies and procedures.

RECOMMENDATION 10: Encourage involvement of professional societies and other organizations.

  • Professional societies should accelerate their efforts to be viewed as organizations that are helping to create culture changes that reduce or prevent the occurrence of sexual harassment. They should provide support and guidance for members who have been targets of sexual harassment. They should use their influence to address sexual harassment in the scientific, medical, and engineering communities they represent and promote a professional culture of civility and respect. The efforts of the American Geophysical Union are especially exemplary and should be considered as a model for other professional societies to follow.
  • Other organizations that facilitate the research and training of people in science, engineering, and medicine, such as collaborative field sites (i.e., national labs and observatories), should establish standards of behavior

3 See https://www.aaas.org/news/sea-change-program-aims-transform-diversity-efforts-stem .

and set policies, procedures, and practices similar to those recommended for academic institutions and following the examples of professional societies. They should hold people accountable for their behaviors while at their facility regardless of the person’s institutional affiliation (just as some professional societies are doing).

RECOMMENDATION 11: Initiate legislative action.

State legislatures and Congress should consider new and additional legislation with the following goals:

  • Better protecting sexual harassment claimants from retaliation.
  • Prohibiting confidentiality in settlement agreements that currently enable harassers to move to another institution and conceal past adjudications.
  • Banning mandatory arbitration clauses for discrimination claims.
  • Allowing lawsuits to be filed against alleged harassers directly (instead of or in addition to their academic employers).
  • Requiring institutions receiving federal funds to publicly disclose results from campus climate surveys and/or the number of sexual harassment reports made to campuses.
  • Requesting the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health devote research funds to doing a follow-up analysis on the topic of sexual harassment in science, engineering, and medicine in 3 to 5 years to determine (1) whether research has shown that the prevalence of sexual harassment has decreased, (2) whether progress has been made on implementing these recommendations, and (3) where to focus future efforts.

RECOMMENDATION 12: Address the failures to meaningfully enforce Title VII’s prohibition on sex discrimination.

  • Judges, academic institutions (including faculty, staff, and leaders in academia), and administrative agencies should rely on scientific evidence about the behavior of targets and perpetrators of sexual harassment when assessing both institutional compliance with the law and the merits of individual claims.
  • Federal judges should take into account demonstrated effectiveness of anti-harassment policies and practices such as trainings, and not just their existence , for use of an affirmative defense against a sexual harassment claim under Title VII.

RECOMMENDATION 13: Increase federal agency action and collaboration.

Federal agencies should do the following:

  • Increase support for research and evaluation of the effectiveness of policies, procedures, and training on sexual harassment.
  • Attend to sexual harassment with at least the same level of attention and resources as devoted to research misconduct. They should increase collaboration among offices that oversee the integrity of research (i.e., those that cover ethics, research misconduct, diversity, and harassment issues); centralize resources, information, and expertise; provide more resources for handling complaints and working with targets; and implement sanctions on researchers found guilty of sexual harassment.
  • Require institutions to report to federal agencies when individuals on grants have been found to have violated sexual harassment policies or have been put on administrative leave related to sexual harassment, as the National Science Foundation has proposed doing. Agencies should also hold accountable the perpetrator and the institution by using a range of disciplinary actions that limit the negative effects on other grant personnel who were either the target of the harassing behavior or innocent bystanders.
  • Reward and incentivize colleges and universities for implementing policies, programs, and strategies that research shows are most likely to and are succeeding in reducing and preventing sexual harassment.

RECOMMENDATION 14: Conduct necessary research.

Funders should support the following research:

  • The sexual harassment experiences of women in underrepresented and/or vulnerable groups, including women of color, disabled women, immigrant women, sexual- and gender-minority women, postdoctoral trainees, and others.
  • Policies, procedures, trainings, and interventions, specifically their ability to prevent and stop sexually harassing behavior, to alter perception of organizational tolerance for sexually harassing behavior, and to reduce the negative consequences from reporting the incidents. This should include research on informal and formal reporting mechanisms, bystander intervention training, academic leadership training, sexual harassment and diversity training, interventions to improve civility, mandatory reporting requirements, and approaches to supporting and improving communication with the target.
  • Approaches for mitigating the negative impacts and outcomes that targets experience.
  • The prevalence and nature of sexual harassment within specific fields in

science, engineering, and medicine and that follows good practices for sexual harassment surveys.

  • The prevalence and nature of sexual harassment perpetrated by students on faculty.
  • The amount of sexual harassment that serial harassers are responsible for.
  • The prevalence and effect of ambient harassment in the academic setting.
  • The connections between consensual relationships and sexual harassment.
  • Psychological characteristics that increase the risk of perpetrating different forms of sexually harassing behaviors.

RECOMMENDATION 15: Make the entire academic community responsible for reducing and preventing sexual harassment.

All members of our nation’s college campuses—students, trainees, faculty, staff, and administrators—as well as members of research and training sites should assume responsibility for promoting civil and respectful education, training, and work environments, and stepping up and confronting those whose behaviors and actions create sexually harassing environments.

This page intentionally left blank.

Over the last few decades, research, activity, and funding has been devoted to improving the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine. In recent years the diversity of those participating in these fields, particularly the participation of women, has improved and there are significantly more women entering careers and studying science, engineering, and medicine than ever before. However, as women increasingly enter these fields they face biases and barriers and it is not surprising that sexual harassment is one of these barriers.

Over thirty years the incidence of sexual harassment in different industries has held steady, yet now more women are in the workforce and in academia, and in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine (as students and faculty) and so more women are experiencing sexual harassment as they work and learn. Over the last several years, revelations of the sexual harassment experienced by women in the workplace and in academic settings have raised urgent questions about the specific impact of this discriminatory behavior on women and the extent to which it is limiting their careers.

Sexual Harassment of Women explores the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce. This report reviews the research on the extent to which women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine are victimized by sexual harassment and examines the existing information on the extent to which sexual harassment in academia negatively impacts the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women pursuing scientific, engineering, technical, and medical careers. It also identifies and analyzes the policies, strategies and practices that have been the most successful in preventing and addressing sexual harassment in these settings.

Welcome to OpenBook!

You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

Show this book's table of contents , where you can jump to any chapter by name.

...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

Switch between the Original Pages , where you can read the report as it appeared in print, and Text Pages for the web version, where you can highlight and search the text.

To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter .

Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

View our suggested citation for this chapter.

Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

Get Email Updates

Do you enjoy reading reports from the Academies online for free ? Sign up for email notifications and we'll let you know about new publications in your areas of interest when they're released.

  • Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Gretchen Carlson: My Fight Against Sexual Harassment

By Gretchen Carlson

  • Nov. 12, 2016

essay against sexual harassment

I’ve never been a good sleeper, but now more than ever, after having lost my job as a news anchor this past summer, I find myself lying awake at night thinking about my daughter — and your daughters, too. I’ve been asking myself this simple question: Will our girls finally be the ones to have workplaces free from sexual harassment? This question became even more compelling during the presidential race, where offensive comments about women were dismissed as “locker room talk.”

I want to do everything I can to end sexual harassment in the workplace. I didn’t expect to be cast in this role. But as a result of the news reports concerning my departure from Fox News, letters, emails and texts from victims of harassment have poured in to me, and I can’t turn away.

Just a few weeks ago, the comedian Heather McDonald, inspired by my story, publicly spoke about the time her boss just came out and asked if he could hold her breasts, as if that were a normal part of a working relationship. A former flight attendant wrote to tell me that her boss routinely harassed her sexually, and when she complained to human resources, they told her that she was the one who needed sexual harassment training. A tenured teacher at a religious school told me she had to quit her job. An Iraq war veteran, who endured repeated sexual harassment in the Army, returned to civilian life only to find even greater abuse on Wall Street.

Since my story went public, I’ve been cast as a victim — another role I never thought I’d have to play. My parents raised me with a never-give-up attitude, telling me I could be anything I wanted to be. I was a serious violinist and a valedictorian of my high school class. I knew all about hard work.

But within months of my first job in television, I found myself alone in the news van with a cameraman I barely knew, and our conversation went from normal chitchat to something much more sinister. He wanted to know how I felt when he put the microphone under my shirt and touched my breasts.

That wasn’t the first time I’d been sexually harassed. After being crowned Miss America in 1989, I experienced sexual harassment twice. On one occasion, a well-known television executive stuck his tongue down my throat in the back seat of a car we were sharing. And just a few weeks later, a famous publicist in Los Angeles shoved my head into his crotch so forcefully I couldn’t breathe.

But at that first job, I was in the workplace, so the cameraman’s actions filled me with a terrible dread that my career could be in jeopardy. Even though I knew what he did wasn’t right, I didn’t want to tell a soul. I was afraid that his actions would reflect badly on me.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, almost half of all women have been sexually harassed at work. And those are the ones who have been brave enough to reveal it. Why don’t women tell?

That is the question we hear all the time. If it was so bad, why didn’t they just find another job? That’s what President-elect Donald J. Trump suggested when asked what his daughter should do if she encountered sexual harassment.

Here’s why women don’t come forward. We don’t want to be labeled troublemakers. We don’t want to put our careers at risk. And in the end, one of our greatest fears is that we won’t be believed. “He said, she said” is still a convenient phrase that equates victims with harassers. It trivializes workplace harassment and has become synonymous with “Don’t take that risk; they won’t believe you anyway.”

So how do we fix this? It’s not going to happen because we’re talking about it more. I’m hopeful that more women will now feel able to come forward to say, “this is not O.K.,” but they need our support.

First, companies should not be allowed to force employees to sign contracts that include arbitration clauses under which all discrimination disputes, including sexual harassment claims, can be resolved only in a secret proceeding. Women who are unaware that other women have come forward are less likely to speak up themselves. Secrecy silences women and leaves harassers free from accountability.

Also, arbitration rarely favors the accuser. Victims of harassment deserve access to public courts, access to information as provided by the rules of evidence and civil procedure (which do not apply to arbitration), and the right of appeal if legal errors are made (there is no appeal from unjust results in arbitration). I plan to testify before Congress to help fight forced arbitration.

We also need to revisit the issue of whether human resources departments are the right places for victims to go to lodge a complaint. Can women feel safe telling their stories to H.R. employees who are hired by the same company executives who may be implicated in the harassment?

Next, we should reassess sexual harassment training at companies across the country. Certainly, some programs are positive forums for raising awareness. But others may be corporate facades designed to create the illusion of compliance with anti-harassment laws and policies. At the very least there should be a standard by which the effectiveness of these programs can be measured.

Finally, I believe a fundamental factor is the way we choose to raise our kids. Let’s teach our girls and boys how to show the same respect to their colleagues in the workplace they show their moms and sisters at home.

The most important part of this, in my mind, is men and women working together. This is not only a women’s issue. It’s a societal issue.

Men need to hire more women and put them in higher positions of power within organizations. Despite his earlier comments, Mr. Trump has said that he, more than anyone, respects women. It’s my hope that he will now place well-qualified women in positions of real authority in his new administration.

Men also need to stop enabling harassers by egging them on or covering up or excusing their bad behavior. Women shouldn’t be expected to solve this issue alone. We need men to be onboard, too.

Gretchen Carlson, a veteran broadcast journalist, worked at Fox News from 2005 to 2016. She settled a sexual harassment suit against Roger Ailes in September.

Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook and Twitter (@NYTopinion) , and sign up for the Opinion Today newsletter .

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

  • Publications
  • Account settings
  • Advanced Search
  • Journal List
  • Ind Psychiatry J
  • v.26(2); Jul-Dec 2017

Misogyny, feminism, and sexual harassment

Kalpana srivastava.

Department of Psychiatry, AFMC Pune, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Suprakash Chaudhury

1 Department. of Psychiatry, Dr DY Patil Medical College, Dr DY Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra, India

Samiksha Sahu

The term “misogyny” is derived from the Ancient Greek word “mīsoguníā” which means hatred towards women. Misogyny has taken shape in multiple forms such as male privilege, patriarchy, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, belittling of women, violence against women, and sexual objectification.[ 1 , 2 ] The roots of misogyny can be traced back to ancient Greek mythology. According to Hesiod before women came into existence, men were coexisting peacefully as companions to Gods until Prometheus decided to steal the secret of fire from the God which angered Zeus. Zeus punished mankind with an evil thing for their delight called Pandora, the first woman who carried a box which unleashed all evils such as labor, sickness, old age, and death.[ 3 ]

As mythology spilled its vices about women, every religion had their own viewpoint. Hinduism presents diverse view about the position of women and some text place women as the highest goddess and some restrict them to the role of a mother, daughter and wife, as described in Manusmriti.[ 4 ] Tertullian, the father of Latin Christianity, said that being a female is a curse given by God and they are the Devil's Gateway.[ 3 ] In Islam, the holy book Quran has a 4 th chapter called An-Nisa meaning Women. The 34 th verse is a key verse in feminist criticism of Islam which reads: Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient... But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance-[ first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them.[ 5 ]

Misogyny over years has evolved as an ideology which has engulfed the society as a smog which diminishes their site to aurora. Great philosophers, socialist, and thinkers of golden era were subdued by roars of male dominant society which narrowed their vision and made them a supporter of patriarchal society. Aristotle who was an ancient Greek philosopher and scientist was also a misogynist. He thought of women as a deformity, an incomplete male. He preached that men should always command and women should follow as they are the inferior being created by God.[ 6 ] Misogyny at its front had male supporters, but over years, few females also supported the ideology as stated by Sociologist Michael Flood.[ 7 ]

Over centuries, women have been suppressed, their rights were neglected as a human being, they were treated as an lower part of the society, and their roles were restricted to household chores and birthing. Prolonged oppression raised many voices and collectively led to a concept of feminism which started the longest movement in history which still continues.

Feminism is a gamut of socio political movements and ideologies that share a common goal to delineate, establish, and achieve political, economic, personal, and social equality of sexes.[ 8 ] Feminist movements over decades have campaigned for rights of women, including the right to vote, to hold public office, to work, to earn fair wages or equal pay, to own property, to receive education, to enter contracts, to have equal rights within marriage, and to have maternity leave. Feminists have also worked to promote bodily autonomy and integrity and to protect women and girls from brutal crimes such as rape, sexual harassment, and domestic violence.[ 9 , 10 ]

The modern feminist movement could be divided into four waves.[ 11 , 12 ] Each wave dealt with different aspects of the same feminist issues. The first wave of feminism started with the “Women's suffrage movement” in 1848 in New York under the leadership of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The movement aimed at promoting women's right to vote.[ 13 ] The second wave which started somewhere in 1960s campaigned for the legal and social equality for women, it included issues about their reproductive rights, legal inequalities, domestic violence, marital rape and divorce law.[ 14 , 15 ] The third wave which began in the 1990s[ 16 ] dealt with issues such as sex positive feminism, intersectionality, transfeminism, vegetarian ecofeminism, and postmodern feminism. Sex-positive feminism or sexually liberal feminism, propagates the idea of sexual freedom being an essential component of women's freedom.

The term intersectionality was coined by civil rights advocate Kimberle Williams Crenshaw. This theory considers that various aspects of humanity such as class, race, sexual orientation, and gender are not separate, but are interwoven and their relationships are essential to an understanding of human conditions. It focused on abolishing gender role stereotypes and expanding feminism to include women of various culture.[ 17 , 18 ] Transfeminism as defined by scholar and activist Emi Koyama[ 19 ] constituted a movement for liberation of transwomen. Vegetarian ecofeminism postulates that all types of oppression, like castism, racism and sexism, are associated with each other. It is a kind of inter human oppression. A major belief of ecofeminism is that there is a strong connection between the domination of women and the domination of nature, and that both must be eradicated in order to end oppression.

Postmodern feminism[ 20 ] has two components, i.e., liberal feminism[ 18 ] and radical feminism,[ 21 ] the former being an individualistic form of feminist theory which focuses on women's ability to maintain their equality by uplifting themselves in the field of academics, and other domains by which they can make better decisions and attain equal political and legal rights. Radical feminism on the other hand demands drastic reordering of society in which male supremacy is eliminated in all social and economic contexts.

The fourth-wave feminism refers to a kind of feminism that began around 2012 which targets sexual harassment, campus sexual harassment, rape culture, workplace discrimination, body shaming, sexist imagery in the media, online misogyny, assault on public transport, and other type of harassment that is associated with the use of social media.[ 22 , 23 , 24 ] The recent issues which were shocking and horrid like Nirbhaya Delhi Gang Rape, Harvey Weinstein allegations, and Bill Cosby allegations gave birth to campaigns like Everyday Sexism Project, No More Page 3, and the recent #MeToo.[ 23 ]

These issues had drawn significant focus and brought legal reforms in issues such as sexual harassment at workplace as many women are employed in private, government, or unorganized sectors. Sexual harassment constitutes a gross violation of human right and women's right to equality and dignity. It is illegal to harass a person because of their gender and sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Workplace sexual harassment, like other forms of violence, is not harmless. It involves serious health, human, and economic and social costs, which manifest themselves in the overall development indices of a nation. Its prevalence and the constant uproar brought legal actions like sexual harassment act 2012 to cease the silent menace.

It is commendable to note the progress made by the women over centuries and the fight will continue until the roots of misogyny is removed from the world. With the wave of liberalization as a part of globalization, it was expected that religious and conservative societies would become more gender sensitive and provide equal access to education and employment. However, in some places, these hopes have been belied, due to rise of religious fundamentalism. It is important to note that even “liberal” Christian societies are yet to attain complete gender equality, so one should not despair at tardy progress in our country. Without equal access to education, equal opportunity, and economic emancipation, gender equality will remain a chimera.

  • Undergraduate
  • High School
  • Architecture
  • American History
  • Asian History
  • Antique Literature
  • American Literature
  • Asian Literature
  • Classic English Literature
  • World Literature
  • Creative Writing
  • Linguistics
  • Criminal Justice
  • Legal Issues
  • Anthropology
  • Archaeology
  • Political Science
  • World Affairs
  • African-American Studies
  • East European Studies
  • Latin-American Studies
  • Native-American Studies
  • West European Studies
  • Family and Consumer Science
  • Social Issues
  • Women and Gender Studies
  • Social Work
  • Natural Sciences
  • Pharmacology
  • Earth science
  • Agriculture
  • Agricultural Studies
  • Computer Science
  • IT Management
  • Mathematics
  • Investments
  • Engineering and Technology
  • Engineering
  • Aeronautics
  • Medicine and Health
  • Alternative Medicine
  • Communications and Media
  • Advertising
  • Communication Strategies
  • Public Relations
  • Educational Theories
  • Teacher's Career
  • Chicago/Turabian
  • Company Analysis
  • Education Theories
  • Shakespeare
  • Canadian Studies
  • Food Safety
  • Relation of Global Warming and Extreme Weather Condition
  • Movie Review
  • Admission Essay
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Application Essay
  • Article Critique
  • Article Review
  • Article Writing
  • Book Review
  • Business Plan
  • Business Proposal
  • Capstone Project
  • Cover Letter
  • Creative Essay
  • Dissertation
  • Dissertation - Abstract
  • Dissertation - Conclusion
  • Dissertation - Discussion
  • Dissertation - Hypothesis
  • Dissertation - Introduction
  • Dissertation - Literature
  • Dissertation - Methodology
  • Dissertation - Results
  • GCSE Coursework
  • Grant Proposal
  • Marketing Plan
  • Multiple Choice Quiz
  • Personal Statement
  • Power Point Presentation
  • Power Point Presentation With Speaker Notes
  • Questionnaire
  • Reaction Paper
  • Research Paper
  • Research Proposal
  • SWOT analysis
  • Thesis Paper
  • Online Quiz
  • Literature Review
  • Movie Analysis
  • Statistics problem
  • Math Problem
  • All papers examples
  • How It Works
  • Money Back Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • We Are Hiring

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Essay Example

Pages: 5

Words: 1351

Hire a Writer for Custom Essay

Use 10% Off Discount: "custom10" in 1 Click 👇

You are free to use it as an inspiration or a source for your own work.

Introduction

Sexual harassment has been a hot topic for years. Corporations all over the world have been forced to deal with sexual harassment legal challenges. Crain & Heischmidt (1995) mention that after the case of Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court nominee, the number of women coming out to file a complaint about sexual harassment increased significantly. Indeed, in the next nine months, the number of cases increased by 150 percent (Crain & Heischmidt, 1995). Sexual harassment is defined by the Federal Register (1980) as any form of sexual advance, physical or verbal conduct of sexual nature. While sexual harassment is illegal in most countries, it also has ethical implications. Employers need to put effective measures in place that prevent sexual harassment from happening, and make reporting easy, anonymous, and safe. The below paper will focus on government and corporate guidelines for preventing and identifying sexual harrassment.

Sexual Harassment in Context

Significance of the Issue

According to Dromm (2012), “sexual harassment is a real issue with real consequences. What some people in the workplace think brings comfort, actually brings fear and problems with self-esteem” (Dromm, 2012). Sexual harassment in the workplace is a very critical issue and affects men and women alike.

A recent publication by Stop Violence Agaisnt Women (2010) states that “It is believed that at least one-third of women in the United States experience some form of sexual harassment”. This indicates that the prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace is significantly greater than the number of reported cases would suggest.

Ramsarop & Parumasur (2007) stated that it is still not clear which behaviors and behavior patterns constitute towards sexual harassment. The existence of the gray area makes it harder for individuals to make a judgment, and prosecutors to rule in individual cases. The next section of the review will focus on the main problems that prevent the discovery and the reporting of sexual harassment cases worldwide.

Barriers of Reporting and Ethical/Legal Considerations

According to the Stop Violence Against Women (2007), in most cases sexual harassment is not reported for many reasons. First, women do not believe that authorities and supervisors within the company would take any steps. Secondly, many women are afraid of becoming stigmatized and being blamed for falling a victim of this act. Finally, in some cases, women simply do not want to hurt the person who harassed them. They might be good friends, and a corporate night out resulted in unwanted sexual advancements. In these cases, women believe that the prosecution of the person would be too great of a punishment.

It is also hard to provide a proof of injury at court, and in most cases it is one person’s word against the other person’s, as sexual harassment usually takes place without anyone witnessing it.

Preventive Actions

One of the actions that are taken to handle sexual harassment is that all sexual harassment problems is to create relevant company policies that focus on training related to ethics. Further, policies need to state that employees can report sexual harassment anonymously.

The culture of the organization should focus on openness information sharing. In an ethical company, unwanted sexual advancement should not be tolerated. It’s one thing to be on even ground with that person, as far as sexual advances or even making sexual jokes that they don’t mind. At the same time, when the person starts taking it personally then it should be reported because the person has to feel like what they say and feel matters. According to Sherwyn (2008), “Everyone entertains a different perception of sexual harassment in the workplace, but a coworker’s personal life combined with sexual teasing should never come into play because it can cause some real damage to them especially with people that they have to work around (Sherwyn, 55, 2008).

Recent Case Analysis

A recent sexual harassment case against Kroger (Arkansas Matters, 2015) shows that the company itself has certain responsibilities towards employees. Certain steps need to be taken after the issues are reported, or the preventive policies will not achieve their intended effect. A teenager employee was subjected to sexual harassment in the workplace, and repeatedly reported the issue to her supervisor. According to the ruling in the case, Keoger “failed to take effective action to prevent such abuse of the employee by a male co-worker” (Arkansas Matters, 2015, para. 2). The company did not take any action against the harasser, and is now made to pay a settlement of $42.500. As Faye A. Williams, regional attorney of EEOC’s  confirmed: “Employees – especially very young and vulnerable employees such as in this case — should be able to report to work without fear of sexual harassment,” (Quoted in:  Arkansas Matters, 2015, para. 5).

Bosses and supervisors are usually required to take action, but sometimes they fail to fulfill their obligations to victims, like in the above case.  In light of this, special or mandatory training on sexual harassment is another course of action that people as well as CEOs are forced to take and participate in. During the training people, people, coworkers as well as supervisors are taught about the importance of sexual harassment preventions. Also, these same people are walked through several different training scenarios that show and illustrate what is appropriate behavior in the workplace along with what is intolerable or where the line needs to be drawn.

Reflection and Recommendations

According to Blackstone (2012), “Men and women are made victims of sexual harassment, harmless sexual teasing can open the doors to workplace violence unless measures are put in place to prevent this from happening” (Blackstone, 2012). Therefore, policies should not only focus on women, but the entire population.

It can be argued that women are usually the common victims of sexual harassment and are immediately expected to tell the supervisor, but men are just as susceptible to it as women are. Back in the mid to late 90s, sexual harassment wasn’t as prevalent and in need of methodical prevention like it is today but what is clear is that both genders of people experience it at one point in time.

There have been instances in the past where people who file sexual harassment complaints aren’t dealt with accordingly because of the lack of evidence or because it’s her word against his. In these cases,  employers need to determine who is lying and who’s telling the truth; it can become a battle of moral and workplace. Education related to sexual harassment, prevention, and making it easy to report cases seems to be the most effective solution for reducing the number of cases.

According to Carter (2006), “taking preventative steps to eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace is the key to happy and productive workers not to mention happy supervisors” (Carter, 2006). It can be said that sexual harassment in the workplace is an issue that should be handled with care, because it can impact a lot of people.

In closing, sexual harassment in the workplace has caused quite a lot of damage to the people working in the workplace because of the inaction on both parties’ side but taking the time to prevent it shows courage and adaptability to change; a person’s job is not a place for sexual advances or sexual harassment of any kind. It’s everyone’s responsibility to stop it at the source.

Arkansas Matters. (2015) Kroger to Pay Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Settlement. Arkansas Matters News online. Retrieved from http://www.arkansasmatters.com/news/local-  news/kroger-to-pay-sexual-harrassment-lawsuit-settlement

Blackstone, A. (2012, May 1). Fighting Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from University of Maine http://www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/content/fighting-sexual-harassment-workplace

Carter, S. (2006). Preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://www.roughnotes.com/rnmagazine/search/management/08_08P070.htm

Crain, K. A., & Heischmidt, K. A. (1995). Implementing business ethics: Sexual harassment. Journal of Business Ethics ,  14 (4), 299-308.

Dromm, K. (2012, May 31). Keith Dromm on Sexual Harassment . Retrieved November 9, 2015, from http://sites.broadviewpress.com/keith-dromm-on-sexual-harassment/

Ramsaroop, A., & Parumasur, S. B. (2007). The prevalence and nature of sexual harassment in the workplace: A model for early identification and effective management thereof. SA  Journal of Industrial Psychology ,  33 (2), 25-33.

Sherwyn, D. (2008). Roundtable Retrospective 2007: Dealing with Sexual Harassment. The Scholarly Commons , 2, 55-55. http://scholarship.sha.cornell.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1386&context=articles

Stop Violence Against Women. (2007) Barriers to Effective Enforcement of Sexual Harassment Law. Retrieved from http://www.stopvaw.org/barriers_to_effective_enforcement_of_sexual_harassment_law.html

Stop Violence Against Women. (2011) Prevalence of Sexual Harassmen t. Retrieved from http://www.stopvaw.org/prevalence_of_sexual_harassment

Stuck with your Essay?

Get in touch with one of our experts for instant help!

Fidel Castro: The Rise of Western Communism, Essay Example

Influencing the Spread of Disease, Essay Example

Time is precious

don’t waste it!

Plagiarism-free guarantee

Privacy guarantee

Secure checkout

Money back guarantee

E-book

Related Essay Samples & Examples

Voting as a civic responsibility, essay example.

Pages: 1

Words: 287

Utilitarianism and Its Applications, Essay Example

Words: 356

The Age-Related Changes of the Older Person, Essay Example

Pages: 2

Words: 448

The Problems ESOL Teachers Face, Essay Example

Pages: 8

Words: 2293

Should English Be the Primary Language? Essay Example

Pages: 4

Words: 999

The Term “Social Construction of Reality”, Essay Example

Words: 371

Argumentative Essay Sample on Sexual Harrasment

Sexual harassment.

The debate over sexual harassment has always been popular. The majority of campaigners were women, who presented their arguments. Sexual harassment is gender-based. The most common sexual harassment cases involve women as victims. The modern woman would like to be respected in any situation. The problem with it is that she is viewed as a sex object, especially when dressed inappropriately. According to feminists, this is a sign of disrespect. It could be verbal or physical harassment.

Check Out The List of Most Interesting Topics for Argumentative Essay

Introduction.

Harassment is a behavior that intends to upset or disturb a person. It causes discomfort due to its offensive nature and repetitiveness. Legally, it is intentional behavior that is threatening or disturbing a particular person. Thus, sexual harassment is persistent advances of a sexual nature with the use of unwanted or unwelcome deeds, words, gestures, actions, and symbols, making the target victim uncomfortable.

There has been a long history of women being sexually harassed, but sexual harassment against men was not highlighted. Both genders are subjected to exposure to unwanted sexual behaviors that include use of derogatory terms with a sexual connotation, persistent unwanted attention, consistent telling of “dirty” jokes or stories, making sexually suggestive remarks, making requests for sexual favors, posting of pornographic or obscene materials, especially in public places, and frequent unwanted physical contact.

Now I know that your writers are indeed experts because they know how to carry out research just like my teachers expect me to do. I am thankful to your writers and online agents who always reply to my concerns. Jessica
I used a couple of other services, who only spoiled my grades. EliteWritings.com was like a savior in my life and I gradually improved my reputation. Josh
English writing is definitely not my strongest point and I always make silly mistakes. I surfed the web and found your company. You sent me a good paper with impressive ideas. I really appreciate your help. Anthony
Your writers are really competent and hard working. I’ve purchased a difficult research project and to my surprise – I got excellent! Thanks! Addison
Wonderful writing service and friendly writers who always communicate with customers! I realized that your company can be trusted when you sent me good papers within short deadlines. James
My writer forgot about a part of requirements, but I requested revision and he adjusted the needed part. I got the revised paper shortly and the paper looked just like I was expecting. Lily
I was afraid to buy midterm coursework from you, but I did not know how to deal with my topic in computer sciences. I got 93% for the project and was ecstatic. I will surely use your services more. Logan
I’ve bought some essays from you and you guys are wonderful! Your writers sent me amazing essays! Mia
I did not know about your company and my friend recommended me to order essays from you. Your writer sent me my essays on time and I did not find any mistakes! Abigail
I always forget how to use different citation styles and formatting remains challenging for me. I found out that your company offers cheap formatting services and I sent you the paper. Since that time, my teacher never deducts points for formatting mistakes. Alexander
I am a horrible writer and I would rather pass several tests than work on essays. I found your service and you guys are great! You offered me good discounts and I am pleased to get affordable papers. Cooperation with you is worth it. Zoe
Quick and good service! Olivia
I am so bad in writing that I thought I would fail every class. One of my friends told me to use your services and I could not believe my eyes. Your writers managed to improve my academic records very fast! Thank you. Samantha
I am so lucky! Your essays improved my reputation. Taylor

Sexually harassing an employee or a workmate by someone who holds a higher position is very unwelcome. It is a form of abuse (psychological and sexual) and bullying. It is unlawful and creates issues in the working environment. Clarence Thomas was accused of harassing Professor Anita Hill when he was her supervisor by persistently making sexually explicit remarks. Men and women differ in their views. This was the first time that a woman came out and publicly accused a man of sexual harassment leading to the great public interest. Many more women have undisclosed their harassment complaints. Interestingly, the public supported Hill; especially since the all-male Senate Judiciary Committee dismissed Hill’s accusations angering women politicians and lawyers. It created public awareness with open discussions on the issue.

Women being the most affected, view harassment as a negative behavior while the men view it as a positive way of life for their own satisfaction. Men ask for proof of harassment claiming that what they do is just sexual flirting while women share their experiences claiming that such actions are indecent.

Harassment also refers to situations when the victim suffered any unwanted discrimination that was intentional, any severe negative effects on the conditions or privileges of her environment. There is advocacy for tolerance, just the promises of improvements. This has been a standard held by the male gender for a long time as the way of life.

The late Senator Ted Kennedy advocated for punitive charges on employers that are involved in sexual harassment. Although this was viewed as ‘too little too late,’ his regrets about the issue were evident. However, the existing laws that prohibit sexual harassment do not deal with offhand comments, simple teases or minor isolated comments. These do not consider the sensitivity levels of individuals imposing an idea of being a ‘reasonable victim’.

Client's Review

" I ordered a cheap essay on this website. Guys, I was so surprised the essay was written better than I though it'd be. "

Sara J. reviewed EliteWritings on August 15, 2018, via SiteJabber Click to see the original review on an external website.

Supporting Paragraphs

According to McCarthy, the pressures of the work environment could also bring about the advent of inappropriate behavior whether knowingly or unknowingly. This occurs with the jokes, names or flirting quotes used among the employers, employees or even with the clientele. It is regarded as illegal only when it is frequent and/or severe, creating an offensive hostile workplace or resulting in adverse employments decisions like getting fired, quitting or demotion. This will depend on the offender being the employer, employee, supervisor or client/customer.

The greatest responsibility lies with the employers as the decision to deal with the offenders is on their shoulders. Somehow, it has made employers cautious when hiring personnel, as they are afraid of whatever may happen, depending on the sector that they work in or the job’s gender context, e.g. hotels, entertainment, etc. It could lead to lawsuits against them that lead to punitive charges, increased team conflicts, resignations/firings, decreased job satisfaction and productivity, decrease in discipline levels, consequences of retaliation cases. With such choices, women are getting fewer chances of job opportunities. This has led to organizations and businesses making legal decisions to protect their employees from sexual harassment. Dr. Orit Kamir states that an employer is supposed to adopt a strict policy in the work place, prohibiting sexual harassment in order to avoid it and to influence a state of mind of the public and the employees.

The major effects of sexual harassment vary depending on the particular victim and the type of harassment. This depends on the sensitivity level, which cannot be measured. Some are affected directly by the offender, others by being witnesses of such behaviors, and others may not even be aware of the offense, e.g. children. The victim and offender could be of any gender leading to the cases of men being sexually harassed by either men or women and women being harassed by women.

The effects on the victim can vary socially, economically, psychologically or physically. They could be in the form of social withdrawal (isolation), stress, alcoholism, shame, guilt, health impairment, sleep and eating disorders, loss of self-esteem/confidence, loss of trust, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, humiliation, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, retaliation (bullying), etc. Special techniques for the victims to cope up with the problem in order to regain their normal ways of life have been developed (McCarthy 56). These include cognitive-behavioral therapy, family and friends support and stress management therapy. These will help in addition to the legal justice system that may not be adequate, depending on the consideration of severity.

On the other hand, the accused ones could defend themselves by claiming that the victim has been seducing them, whether knowingly or unknowingly, the victim could also have been interpreting simple complements and teasing comments made towards them as harassing comments, the accused could have been genuinely interested in the victim and was just determined to be with them, and the accuser would say that the victim ‘wanted it.’ This could all be understood according to the explanations given for each.

First, the accused may claim that the victim expressed some body language or verbal seduction that made them act the way they did and they expected a different response. Secondly, the accused may just be the type of person who gives sexual complements to everyone, but the sensitivity level of the victim made it seem like harassment. Such explanations would make it easier to understand the accused rather than empathize with the victim.

Not only the victims suffer from the consequences of the offense, but also the accused individual. This could be by defamation of reputation and character, loss of trust, loss of a job, loss of references/recommendations, loss of friends and peer support, loss of spousal partnerships, relocation to other new places, shame, guilt, stress, and depression, etc.

The feminists have been accused of causing retaliation with encouraging messages of such acts to the victims, the women. This has caused rifts that will eventually take a long time to seal, especially between men and women. The fun that existed in flirting has become viewed as a criminal act with women having a ‘price tag’ on their heads to pay for simply flirting. Yes, they are fighting for the rights of women but eventually leading to a harsh stereotype against them too.

To conclude, it is a shame that grown men and women would act in ways that cause many issues in society, taking advantage of their statuses, or dominance in certain areas or fields. Freedom of speech and expression has been used as an excuse to do and/or say things that cause discomfort to others and thus viewed as morally wrong. It could be that one has good intentions but one should not force those on someone. The outrage that comes into light from the activists creates grounds for serious matters like hostility towards each other in the future. Understanding each other and respecting opinions will improve the situation. People at higher leadership positions should lead by example and act according to the law, created to protect each and everyone, male or female, from the intentions of those that want to cause harm to them. Discriminating people because of their sex is an inappropriate gesture that should be over and done with as soon as possible to ensure peace and harmony in every environment.

Argumentative

Book report, environment, evidence-based practice, informative, please notice.

Some text in the modal.

Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Opinion Essay

Skaine (1996) defines sexual harassment as “unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature…when submission or rejection of this conduct explicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment ” (p. 11). The two types of sexual harassment identified by the law are quid pro quo and hostile environment.

Quid pro quo refers to a condition where an employee is forced to provide sexual favors to an individual at a higher job rank in exchange of benefits at the workplace. On the other hand, hostile environment refers to a state where employees are harassed by offensive sexual behavior or any other act or state that intimidates a person sexually at the workplace (Geffner & Braverman, 2005).

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act protects employees against discrimination of any nature at the workplace. The Act protects employees from discrimination by their employees either in terms of gender, ethnicity, racial background, religion or any other form (Repa, 2010).

The scenario being experienced at the workplace provides that members of staff are offended by the personal photos and calendars hung in the back of the kitchen that are sexual in nature. Some of these items have been given to the staff from suppliers. The objects hung do not belong to just one individual and are making the other staff members uncomfortable. The other staff members asked for the items to be taken down and have even taken them down themselves, but that has caused more items to be hung up in their place.

From this scenario it is evident that the employees are offended by the pictures and this is a case of a hostile work environment. The rights of the employees have been violated yet they have the right to be protected from sexual harassment. In this scenario, sexual harassment is experienced by the employees and the kitchen manager should take action to protect the rights of the employees.

As the kitchen manager I would ensure that all the complaints are dealt with immediately and appropriately. All pictures identified to cause sexual harassment should be removed and no more pictures of a similar kind should be displayed in future. It is good to discuss the issue with the employees and assure them that it is regrettable that such an offensive act has been happening and that a similar occurrence would not be experienced in future.

A comfortable work environment is a right to all employees and it would be my duty to ensure that all employees are comfortable at the workplace. Moreover, injunction should be placed against suppliers providing materials which are offensive. To add on that, personal photos bearing offensive photos should be banned at the workplace.

It is therefore conclusive that employees have a right to be protected against sexual harassment. Sexual harassment consists of all environmental conditions at the workplace which are sexual in nature and are offensive.

It is the responsibility of the management of the organization to ensure that all the employees are comfortable at the workplace. To avoid a similar occurrence in future, employees of the organization should have the freedom to express their grievances and to discuss matters that may affect them at the workplace.

Geffner, R. and Braverman, M. (2005). Aggression in organizations: violence, abuse, and harassment at work and in schools. Routledge. ISBN 0789028425, 9780789028426

Repa, B. K. (2010). Your Rights in the Workpla ce. Nolo. ISBN 1413312101, 9781413312102.

Skaine, R. (1996). Power and gender: issues in sexual dominance and harassment. McFarland. ISBN 0786402083, 9780786402083.

  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2018, May 16). Sexual Harassment at the Workplace. https://ivypanda.com/essays/sexual-harassment-at-the-workplace/

"Sexual Harassment at the Workplace." IvyPanda , 16 May 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/sexual-harassment-at-the-workplace/.

IvyPanda . (2018) 'Sexual Harassment at the Workplace'. 16 May.

IvyPanda . 2018. "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace." May 16, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/sexual-harassment-at-the-workplace/.

1. IvyPanda . "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace." May 16, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/sexual-harassment-at-the-workplace/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace." May 16, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/sexual-harassment-at-the-workplace/.

  • Employee Issues: Gender Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, Discrimination
  • Sexual Harassment: Issue Analysis
  • Two Types of Sexual Harassment (EEOC)
  • Power Harassment: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
  • Diversity Issue. Legal Analysis.
  • Sexual Harassment Issue in Australia
  • Organizational Ethics Issue Resolution
  • Hypothetical Case Related to Sexual Harassment
  • Current Event on Sexual Harassment
  • Violence on Campus: Issue Analysis
  • Managing Creative Project and Team
  • McDonald's Corporation: Analyzing Fast Food Industry
  • SWOT Analysis of Covad Communications
  • Chiefs Restaurant: Action Plan for the Cooks
  • Honesty in the Workplace

Sexual Harassment and Violence against Women Essay Example

Sexual Harassment and Violence against Women Essay Example

  • Pages: 5 (1126 words)
  • Published: November 21, 2021

The two articles talk about sexual assault against women. Sexual assault refers to a sexual act or behavior through force or coercion that occurs without the will or explicit consent of a victim. The essay is a critical analysis of two articles; “Women have the right to be heard and respected” by Lawrence Hill and “The Galloway Affair: Alem comes to UBC” by Margaret Wente. According to the articles, sexual assault against women is prevalent across the globe. Sexual assault and violation of women rights are not only evident in the poorest countries but also in the richest countries in the world. Countries such as Canada, United States, and Swaziland have experienced cases of women rights safety and equality. The articles emphasize that women should be allowed to represent their complaints on sexual assaults and be served with justice. Women have been the main vic

tims of sexual violence globally for a long time. Women’s rights should, therefore, be protected at whatever cost.

In his article, Lawrence Hill, writes about his volunteer activities. The writer visits women inmates, listens to their thoughts, dreams, and their plans when they reintegrate into the society. He is also involved in promoting grassroots community economic development for women in Africa. According to the writer, sexual assault and domestic violence against women is a major threat even in the richest countries. Powerful and prominent people such as the United States president-elect, Donald Trump, and Canadian celebrated radio host, Jian Ghomeshi have been accused of sexual harassment and violence and against women. Famous writer Steven Galloway was recently fired due to sexual assault allegations stirring a wave of reaction from Canadian writers rising

in Galloway’s defense. However, Lawrence indicates his nonsupport for movements that sabotage women’s efforts to air their complaints about sexual harassment and violence. The writer believes women have a right to be heard, respected and to be served with justice.

What follows is a critical analysis of how Lawrence Hill uses language, logic, and evidence to address the problem of sexual assault and violence against women. Through language, the writer conveys his deep concern over women who are victims of sexual assault. The writer says “I am not one of them” implying that he is against the group of writers rising in defense of the suspected sexual assault offender. He uses the language that refers to them as social movements that silences and hurts women from reporting their sexual harassments and violence. The writer uses repetition to articulate the theme of giving women a right to be heard and respected. In his article, the writer has emphasized in the cases of sexual violation of women in Canada, United States, and Swaziland. The writer gives critical evidence of sexual assault, for example, the writer criticizes some individuals such as Donald Trump and Jian Ghomeshi for getting away with crimes of sexual assault due to their influential positions. He says that Trump boasted about his sexual harassment behavior but still managed to win the elections. For these reasons, Lawrence has critically and more efficiently used language, logic, and evidence to articulate his theme on the protection of women’s rights.

The second article by Margaret Wente is about Canadian author, Steven Galloway, the head of creative writing at the University of British Columbia. Mr. Galloway was suspended from this position

and later fired due to unclear allegations about sexual assault. However, no criminal charges were ever laid. The writer indicates that people thought Mr. Galloway had done something pretty terrible but investigations left people doubting if Galloway was guilty. Another confidential report by the University report that was leaked to the media found scant evidence on Galloway’s case. The report, therefore, dismissed the serious allegations against him. Mr. Galloway was alleged with plying his students with alcohol with an intention to create a sexualized environment. However, the judge dismissed the claims ruling that most of the crowd were sophisticated adults. The victims claimed that Galloway’s behavior ruined their lives and dreams. However, the judge found the allegations to be a gross overreaction. A group of writers wrote to the university protesting about Galloway’s issue but were promptly accused of silencing the victims of sexual assault. Writer Lawrence Hill, however, refused to join his fellow writers in protesting in defense of Steven Galloway. Ms. Atwood, who was among the protesting writers, criticized the assumption that women are always right and men are always guilty claiming it undermined justice.

In her article, Margaret Wente has employed the use of language, logic, and evidence to shed more light on the case of Steven Galloway. Wente says Galloway was suspended because of “serious allegations.” The writer uses such language because the allegations were unspecified. She further indicated that the university was “prioritizing” the student’s safety, a statement that indicates the university’s bias towards the students because the university dismissed Mr. Galloway upon the allegations without enough evidence. Furthermore, the series of investigations found scant evidence which could not prove Galloway’s

guilty. According to the writer, the judge termed the allegations of harassment against Galloway as “a gross overreaction.” This language signifies the lack of enough evidence against Mr. Galloway. The writer gives evidence on the accusations against Galloway where some people accuse him of ruining their dreams and lives. Wente gives account on the cohesion of writers in Canada when they protested against universities action against one of their own. The writer has appropriately employed language, logic, and evidence to address the thesis in the article.

In conclusion, we can say that both articles address a similar issue of sexual assault, particularly against women. Both writers give their stand on sexual harassment and violence. The first article by Lawrence Hill provides more insight on the promotion and respect of women rights, how women should be allowed to report violations of their rights and protection of women from acts sexual abuse. However, the second article concentrates on a specific story of Steven Galloway how he was suspended, fired, investigated and reaction stirred by his story. The first article shows opposition to the writers’ movement for Galloway calling it a social movement to silence women but the second article gives more emphasis on the writers who argue in support of Galloway. It is true to conclude that the first article advocates more for women’s rights while the second is specific on the writer’s rights. However, both articles criticize violation of women’s rights and address the thesis on the protection of women from sexual violation by offering a platform to present their assaults and fair hearings to achieve justice for the victims.

  • http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/the-galloway-affair-salem-comes-to-ubc/article32970624/
  • http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/women-have-a-right-to-be-heard-and-respected/article32931267/
  • Exploring of Sexual Harassment Essay Example
  • Sexual Harassment in Bangladesh Essay Example
  • Workplace Sexual Harassment of Women in Canada Essay Example
  • A Research on Sex Crimes Essay Example
  • Punishment for Violence in a Summer Camp Essay Example
  • How History of Rape in Young Adults Affect Women Experience During Divorce Essay Example
  • Women as Sexual Objects Essay Example
  • Consent in Sexual Harassment Essay Example
  • The Pocket Man: The Child Abuse Case Essay Example
  • A Feminist Definition of Sexual Harassment Essay Example
  • The Ethics of Job Discrimination Essay Example
  • Child Sexual Abuse and Teenage Pregnancy Essay Example
  • Commerce Acca Essay Example
  • Military Sexual Trauma among Male and Female Veterans Essay Example
  • Sexual Harassment in University Essay Example
  • Abortion essays
  • Abuse essays
  • Animal Rights essays
  • Animal Testing essays
  • Assault essays
  • Bullying essays
  • Controversial Issue essays
  • Crash essays
  • Cyber Bullying essays
  • Feminism essays
  • Human Rights essays
  • Immigration essays
  • Inequality essays
  • Poverty essays
  • Prejudice essays
  • Racism essays
  • Torture essays
  • Violence essays
  • Abuse Support essays
  • Alcohol Abuse essays
  • Child Abuse essays
  • Physical Abuse essays
  • Sexual Abuse essays
  • Substance Abuse essays
  • Animal Cruelty essays
  • Charles Manson essays
  • Crime Prevention essays
  • Crime scene essays
  • Criminal Justice essays
  • Criminology essays
  • Cyber Crime essays
  • Damages essays
  • Detention essays
  • Distracted Driving essays
  • Drug Trafficking essays
  • Drunk Driving essays
  • Forensic Science essays
  • Gang essays
  • Hate Crime essays
  • Homicide essays
  • Identity Theft essays
  • Juvenile Crime essays
  • Juvenile Delinquency essays
  • Juvenile Justice System essays
  • Law Enforcement essays
  • Murder essays
  • Organized Crime essays
  • Penology essays
  • Piracy essays
  • Prison essays

Haven't found what you were looking for?

Search for samples, answers to your questions and flashcards.

  • Enter your topic/question
  • Receive an explanation
  • Ask one question at a time
  • Enter a specific assignment topic
  • Aim at least 500 characters
  • a topic sentence that states the main or controlling idea
  • supporting sentences to explain and develop the point you’re making
  • evidence from your reading or an example from the subject area that supports your point
  • analysis of the implication/significance/impact of the evidence finished off with a critical conclusion you have drawn from the evidence.

Unfortunately copying the content is not possible

Tell us your email address and we’ll send this sample there..

By continuing, you agree to our Terms and Conditions .

‘Clear and convincing information’ that hostages held in Gaza subjected to sexual violence, says UN Special Representative

Pramila Patten, Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Sexual Violence in Conflict, briefs journalists at the UN Headquarters, in New York.

Facebook Twitter Print Email

Following a 17-day visit to Israel, the UN Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict reported on Monday that she and a team of experts had found “clear and convincing information” of rape and sexualized torture being committed against hostages seized during the 7 October terror attacks.

Pramila Patten added in a press release issued along with the report that there are also reasonable grounds to believe that such violence, which includes other “cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment”, may be continuing against those still being held by Hamas and other extremists in the Gaza Strip.

The report from her Office arose from an official visit to Israel at the invitation of the Government which included a visit to the occupied West Bank, between 29 January and 14 February.

In the context of the coordinated attack by Hamas and others of 7 October, the UN mission team found that there are reasonable grounds to believe that conflict-related sexual violence occurred in multiple locations , including rape and gang rape in at least three locations in southern Israel.

The team also found a pattern of victims - mostly women - found fully or partially naked, bound and shot across multiple locations which “may be indicative of some forms of sexual violence”.

In some locations the mission said it could not verify reported incidents of rape.

Watch Ms. Patten's press conference announcing the team's findings at UN Headquarters in New York, below:

Full extent may never be known

The UN team is of the view that the true extent of sexual violence committed during the 7 October attacks and their aftermath could “ take months or years to emerge and may never be fully known ” according to the press release.

The mission made up of Ms. Patten and nine experts – which was not investigative in nature – conducted 33 meetings with Israeli representatives, examining more than 5,000 photographic images and 50 hours of video footage. It conducted 34 confidential interviews including with survivors and witnesses of the 7 October attacks, released hostages, first responders and others.

The report says that Israeli authorities have faced numerous challenges in collecting evidence.

Allegations implicating Israeli security forces, settlers

The team also visited Ramallah in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to hear the views and concerns of officials and civil society representatives since 7 October which allegedly implicate Israeli security forces and settlers.

Ms. Patten heard concerns raised over cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of Palestinians in detention, including sexual violence in the form of invasive searches, threats of rape and prolonged forced nudity.

The information gathered will complement that already gathered by other UN officials on allegations of conflict-related sexual violence inside Gaza, for potential inclusion in the Secretary-General’s annual report on the issue.

Initial recommendations

Ms. Patten’s recommendations include a call for the Israeli Government to grant full access to the UN human rights office ( OHCHR ) and the Human Rights Council -mandated independent Commission of Inquiry on the occupied territory “to conduct fully-fledged independent investigations into all alleged violations”, according to the press release.

She called on Hamas to immediately and unconditionally release all those being held as hostages and to ensure their protection, including from sexual violence.

Ms. Patten also called on all relevant and competent bodies to bring all perpetrators of sexual violence to justice while offering the full support of her office to bolster national efforts.

She also called for the highest standards of information integrity in reporting and handling of sexual violence cases, as the press release notes, “given the risks of inflammatory rhetoric and sensationalized headlines escalating tensions” along with media or political pressure which will only compound the trauma and stigmatization of survivors.

The Special Representative echoed the Secretary-General’s call for a humanitarian ceasefire and urged any ceasefire agreement to acknowledge the importance of recognizing sexual violence as a key issue and to allow affected communities to be heard.

She reiterated her profound sympathy and solidarity with all civilians impacted by the “brutal violence in the region” since 7 October.

  • Israel-Palestine

Japanese ex-soldier wins U.S. award for her fight against sexual harassment

Rina Gonoi, a former member of Japan's Self Defence Forces, speaks to Reuters in Yokohama

Reporting by Akiko Okamoto Writing by Katya Golubkova. Editing by Gerry Doyle

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tab

A Hong Kong flag is flown behind a pair of surveillance cameras outside the Central Government Offices in Hong Kong

Ukraine's Zelenskiy approves ex-army chief Zaluzhnyi's candidacy as envoy to UK

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that he had approved the candidacy of former army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi as ambassador to Britain.

The White House is seen at sunset in Washington

  • Skip to main content

Advancing social justice, promoting decent work

Ilo is a specialized agency of the united nations, receive ilo news, follow us on.

Twitter

Maritime sector

ILO and IMO recommend new steps against shipboard violence, harassment, and sexual assault

The organizations’ recommendations include amendments to the Maritime Labour Convention, a new IMO mandatory training for seafarers, and a joint IMO/ILO international awareness campaign.

essay against sexual harassment

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sexual harassment suit includes notable music industry names

Sean "Diddy" Combs wears a red puffer suit while holding a microphone onstage with two hands

  • Show more sharing options
  • Copy Link URL Copied!

Recent sex abuse lawsuits against music impresario Sean “Diddy” Combs have damaged his reputation and career. But a new suit from music producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones makes new, explosive claims about Combs’ alleged assaults and misconduct in granular detail, naming several prominent artists and music executives as well.

Jones, who worked closely with Combs on his recent release “The Love Album: Off the Grid,” sued him in federal court in New York on Monday, alleging Combs sexually and physically abused him, engaged in sex trafficking and ran his inner circle as a “RICO enterprise” that functioned like a criminal organization. Jones’ suit contains what he says are photos, videos and screenshots corroborating his allegations.

Combs denied the previous claims against him, including those from a former partner, R&B singer Cassie , whose November suit kicked off a wave of complaints against Combs under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.

Combs’ attorney Shawn Holley said in a statement that “Lil Rod is nothing more than a liar who filed a $30 million lawsuit shamelessly looking for an undeserved payday. His reckless name-dropping about events that are pure fiction and simply did not happen is nothing more than a transparent attempt to garner headlines. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies. Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn refuses to return our calls. We will address these outlandish allegations in court and take all appropriate action against those who make them.”

Sean Combs arrives at a pre-Grammy party

Diddy’s ‘Love’ producer Lil Rod accuses him and associates of sexual assault, illicit behavior

Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones has filed a bombshell lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs accusing the media mogul of sexually harassing and threatening him.

Feb. 27, 2024

Jones’ suit is a sprawling document that names well-known music executives, celebrities and bit players in Combs’ circle. While some famous names are redacted (though alluded to with blind-item-style clues), here is a guide to the many names that appear in the suit.

Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones

A Chicago-born producer who recorded with gospel-inspired acts like the Clark Sisters and Georgia Mass Choir. Jones produced nine songs on Diddy’s “Love Album” between September 2022 and November 2023.

Sean “Diddy” Combs

The producer, Bad Boy Entertainment founder, media executive and celebrity spokesman had a monumental hip-hop career dating back to the early 1990s. He helped launched the career of the Notorious B.I.G., scored platinum records of his own and oversaw businesses that made him one of music’s richest men. The claims from last year’s lawsuits made him toxic in the industry, however, and Jones’ new claims likely will add to that sentiment.

Among the many allegations in the suit, Jones said Combs sexually saluted and harassed him while they worked at Combs’ homes in Los Angeles, New York, Florida and on a yacht in the U.S. Virgin Islands. He claims Combs forced him to procure sex workers and participate in group sex with him, and that Combs drugged him in February of last year. He also said Combs was involved in a shooting at a Hollywood recording studio in 2022.

Photo illustration of Sean Diddy Combs with half his face falling into small square pieces

Behind the calamitous fall of hip-hop mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

In the wake of multiple lawsuits filed against him, former members of Combs’ inner circle told The Times that his alleged misconduct against women goes back decades.

Dec. 13, 2023

Justin Dior Combs

Diddy’s adult son who, Jones claims, also was present at the 2022 shooting at Chalice Recording Studios. Jones alleges Justin solicited sex workers for the crew around Diddy and participated in the “freak-off” group sex events. A rep for Justin Combs said in a statement, “Justin Combs categorically denies these absurd allegations. They are all lies! This is a a clear example of a desperate person taking desperate measures in hopes of a pay day. There will be legal consequences for ALL defamatory statements made about the Combs family.”

Kristina Khorram

Diddy’s chief of staff who, Jones alleges in his lawsuit, procured sex workers for Combs and would “instruct her staff to lace Champagne, DeLeon [tequila], and Ciroc liquor bottles with ecstasy and other [illicit] drugs,” and “required all employees from the butler, the chef to the housekeepers, to walk around with a pouch or fanny pack filled with cocaine, GHB, ecstasy” and other drugs. Khorram did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Ethiopia Habtemariam

The former CEO of Motown Records, which partnered with Combs on his Love Records imprint. Jones claims Habtemariam visited Combs’ homes during writing sessions and social gatherings, and that she “had a duty and obligation to ensure that sex workers and underaged girls were not present, and that Mr. Combs was not spiking the alcohol with date rape drugs.” A rep for Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FILE - Sean "Diddy" Combs arrives at the Billboard Music Awards in Las Vegas on May 15, 2022. Combs will be honored for his career achievements at the BET Awards this month. The network announced Monday that Combs will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on June 26. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Company Town

A fourth woman, who was a minor at the time, accuses Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs of sexual assault

Just weeks after R&B singer Cassie accused Diddy of sexual assault, another woman says Combs and two other men ‘gang raped’ her when she was 17.

Dec. 6, 2023

Lucian Grainge

The CEO of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest record label conglomerate and Motown’s parent company. Jones claims Grainge also “attended several Love Album listening parties at Mr. Combs’ home in Los Angeles, California,” where some of the alleged misconduct took place. A rep for Universal Music Group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A music producer and longtime Bad Boy Entertainment affiliate who worked on Diddy’s debut album in 1997. Stevie J also worked on “The Love Album” with Jones, who claimed that Combs “used access to Stevie J, and his knowledge of Mr. Jones admiration of Stevie J to groom and entice Mr. Jones.” Stevie J told TMZ in an interview, “These allegations are false and my lawyer will be handling this going forward.”

The City Girls rapper who, Jones alleges in the suit, was part of a group that “were paid a monthly fee to work as Mr. Combs’ sex workers and received payment via wire transfer.” Jones also alleges that Yung Miami’s female cousin, unnamed in the suit, sexually assaulted him at a party in 2022. Representatives for Yung Miami did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Cassie Ventura and Sean "Diddy" Combs

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Cassie settle lawsuit one day after she accused him of rape and abuse

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and former partner Cassie have reached a settlement in a lawsuit she filed Thursday alleging rape and a ‘cycle of abuse’ by the mogul.

Nov. 18, 2023

Cuba Gooding Jr.

The actor who, Jones claims, made sexual advances toward him on Diddy’s yacht after Diddy’s “grooming him to pass him off to his friends.” Gooding ‘s manager did not respond to a request for comment.

A friend of Justin Combs’ who was Jones says was shot at Chalice Studios in 2022. Jones claims members of Diddy’s crew were instructed to lie about the location of the shooting.

Faheem Muhammad

Diddy’s head of security, who, Jones claims, “had the power to make people and problems disappear” and served as an intermediary between the LAPD and Diddy after the Chalice shooting. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Robin Greenhill

Diddy’s accountant, who, Jones claims, oversaw payments to sex workers. Greenhill, of Tri Star Sports & Entertainment, is best known for working with Britney Spears’ father to oversee the singer’s conservatorship; Britney Spears accused Greenhill of intrusive surveillance. A rep for Tri Star declined comment.

DeForrest Taylor

An A&R executive for Love Records who, Jones claims, threatened him after Jones asked to be paid for his production work. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A triptych of Neil Portnoy, L.A Reid and Ditty.

The music industry is finally having its #MeToo moment

Alexa Nikolas, founder of activist group Eat Predators, on the ‘miracle’ of Cassie’s lawsuit against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and the challenges still facing abuse survivors.

Nov. 21, 2023

Brendan Paul

Jones claims in the suit that Paul “works as Mr. Combs’ mule. He acquires, and distributes, Mr. Combs’ drugs and guns.” He could not be located for comment.

Frankie Santella

Jones alleges that Santella “carries the money and pays for the Guns and Drugs” alongside Paul. He could not be located for comment.

Jones claims Baun helped procure sex workers for “freak-offs” at Diddy’s homes. He could not be located for comment.

Diddy’s IT director, who, Jones claims, oversees hidden cameras placed throughout Diddy’s homes and is “the gatekeeper to all of [Mr. Combs] recordings” of events in his house. He could not be located for comment.

More to Read

A Black man in a black New York Yankees hat smiling and wearing a gray blazer, white suit shirt and a beaded necklace

Russell Simmons sued for defamation by former Def Jam executive who accused him of sexual assault

Feb. 15, 2024

Russell Simmons sued in alleged rape of Def Jam executive in the ’90s

Feb. 13, 2024

KENOSHA, WI - AUGUST 25: Attorney Ben Crump speaks during a news conference on August 25, 2020 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Video shot of the incident appears to show Blake shot multiple times in the back by Wisconsin police officers while attempting to enter the driver's side of a vehicle. The 29-year-old Blake was undergoing surgery for a severed spinal cord, shattered vertebrae and severe damage to organs, according to the family attorneys in published accounts. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

He sought justice for George Floyd. His next target? Record labels

Feb. 9, 2024

The biggest entertainment stories

Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.

essay against sexual harassment

August Brown covers pop music, the music industry and nightlife policy at the Los Angeles Times.

More From the Los Angeles Times

A man in a black and white tuxedo smiling to his side and standing next to a woman in a dark dress posing for photos

Steve Lawrence, half of the Emmy- and Grammy-winning music duo Steve & Eydie, dies at 88

March 7, 2024

Justin Timberlake in a white shirt and camouflage jacket holding a microphone and dancing on a dark stage with two women

Justin Timberlake will play a one-night show at the Wiltern next week — and it’s free

Former Rock & Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi smiles as he leaves court, Wednesday, March 6, 2024, in New York. New York prosecutors abruptly dropped their criminal case midtrial Wednesday against three men who had been accused of conspiring to possess a cache of hand-drafted lyrics to "Hotel California" and other Eagles hits.(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

World & Nation

Charges are dropped midtrial in ‘Hotel California’ lyrics case. Don Henley plans to fight on

March 6, 2024

San Francisco Symphony Prometheus & Bluebeard

Entertainment & Arts

Does adding scents to a symphony make sense? Scriabin and synesthesia in San Francisco

Gang rape of travel blogger in India triggers nationwide outcry

Reports of horrific sexual assaults on women have become familiar in india.

Uniformed men bring three people with bags over their head and ropes around their waist down a hallway.

Social Sharing

WARNING: This article contains graphic content and may affect those who have experienced​ ​​​sexual violence or know someone affected by it. 

The woman in the Instagram video appeared shaken. Her face was swollen and bruised. Sitting beside her husband, she began recounting her ordeal.

"Something happened to us that we wouldn't wish on anyone," she said in Spanish, with captions in English. Her husband then said: "We were assaulted in the tent. We were beaten. They put a knife to our necks and she was raped by seven guys."

In the video that has since been deleted, the woman said the assault on her and her Spanish partner — both travel bloggers — took place in a forest late Friday in eastern Jharkhand state's Dumka district in India where they were camping on their way to neighbouring Nepal.

The couple, who had been documenting their trip for more than 200,000 followers on an Instagram account, were found by a police patrol van which took them to a hospital, where the woman told the doctor she had been raped.

Police in Jharkhand confirmed the incident and arrested three men over the weekend. On Monday, police said they were searching for four more suspects.

  • After brutal assaults on 2 women and widespread violence, India's PM finally speaks
  • Here's why India's Manipur state has been gripped by months of violence

The Associated Press generally doesn't identify victims of sexual assault.

The case triggered a nationwide outcry over one of India's rampant problems: a decades-long struggle to curb rising sexual violence against women.

Reports of horrific sexual assaults on women have become familiar in India, where police recorded 31,516 rape cases in 2022, a 20 per cent increase from 2021, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.

The real figure is believed to be far higher due to the stigma surrounding sexual violence and victims' lack of faith in police. Women's rights activists say the problem is particularly acute in rural areas, where victims of sexual assault are sometimes shamed by the community and families worry about their social standing.

"Often, the victims are victimized further with insults, and it makes it very difficult for them to report the crime to the police. In such cases, women think it is best to keep quiet," said Mariam Dhawale, a women's rights activist and general secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association.

Sexual violence in spotlight since 2012

Rape and sexual violence have been under the spotlight since the brutal 2012 gang rape and killing of a 23-year-old student on a New Delhi bus. The attack galvanized massive protests and inspired lawmakers to order the creation of fast-track courts dedicated to rape cases and stiffen penalties.

The woman raises one hand in the air as water spray clouds the entire frame.

The rape law was amended in 2013, criminalizing stalking and voyeurism and lowering the age at which a person can be tried as an adult from 18 to 16.

Despite stringent laws, rights activists say the government is still not doing enough to protect women and punish attackers.

"Often, investigations in rape cases are messed up by the police and timely evidence is not collected. These cases get dragged on without any convictions and the culprits walk free," Dhawale said. She said convictions remain rare and cases often remain stuck for years in India's clogged criminal justice system.

In the last few years, the conviction rate in rape cases has hovered below 30 per cent, according to several government reports.

High-profile rape cases involving foreign visitors have drawn international attention to the issue. In 2022, a British tourist was raped in front of her partner in Goa. Earlier this year, an Indian-American woman said she was raped at a hotel in New Delhi.

Culture of downplaying harassment

In January, the Supreme Court restored life sentences for 11 Hindu men who raped a Muslim woman during deadly religious rioting two decades ago. They had been released in 2022, when they were garlanded with flowers by their families and a lawmaker from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's governing Bharatiya Janata Party.

  • Indian woman condemns release of her 11 convicted rapists
  • Fake online auction of Indian Muslim women sparks outrage; 2 suspects detained

Last year, female wrestlers demonstrated against the head of the wrestling federation, accusing him of repeatedly groping women. After months of protests, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, an influential lawmaker from Modi's party, was charged in court with stalking, harassment and intimidation. Singh has denied the accusations.

Dhwale said even though high-profile rape cases get media attention, a culture of downplaying sexual harassment and violence against women remains prevalent in India.

"We are continuously on the road to protest, sometimes to get a single case registered. It shouldn't be like that," she said.

For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services via this Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database . ​​If you're in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. 

essay against sexual harassment

SpaceX Faces New Sex Harassment Claim Amid Broader Investigation

By Maia Spoto

Maia Spoto

New allegations of sexual harassment at Elon Musk ‘s SpaceX were filed in California state court Tuesday as the state’s human rights agency continues to investigate separate allegations of widespread discrimination against women employees at the company.

According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the worker’s manager allegedly forced her into a “quid pro quo” sexual relationship with the expectation that her career advancement was contingent upon her compliance. SpaceX leadership knew about the manager’s behavior but sided with the manager even after he left the company, the worker’s complaint said.

The worker’s suit follows complaints ...

Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading:

Learn about bloomberg law.

AI-powered legal analytics, workflow tools and premium legal & business news.

Already a subscriber?

Log in to keep reading or access research tools.

  • Home Design Experts
  • Senior Living
  • Wedding Experts
  • Real Estate Agents
  • Private Schools
  • Mortgage Professionals
  • 50 Best Restaurants
  • Restaurant Finder
  • Be Well Philly
  • Find a Dentist
  • Find a Doctor
  • Life & Style
  • Properties & News
  • Find a Home & Design Pro
  • Find a Real Estate Agent
  • Find a Mortgage Professional
  • Events in Philly
  • Philly Mag Events
  • Guides & Advice
  • Find a Wedding Expert
  • Bubbly Brunch Event
  • Best of Philly
  • Newsletters

If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours.

What’s Accused Sexual Harasser John DeBella Doing at WHYY?

One WHYY staffer suggests he belongs at Barstool Sports — not at the home of  Fresh Air .

Get a compelling long read and must-have lifestyle tips in your inbox every Sunday morning — great with coffee!

John DeBella, who settled a scathing sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him at WMGK, just popped up on WHYY, of all places.

John DeBella, who settled a scathing sexual harassment lawsuit filed against him at WMGK, just popped up on WHYY, of all places. (Getty Images)

Check phillymag.com each morning Monday through Thursday for the latest edition of Philly Today. And if you have a news tip for our hardworking Philly Mag reporters, please direct it here . You can also use that form to send us reader mail. We love reader mail!

What Is Accused Sexual Harasser John DeBella Doing at WHYY?

I was a bit surprised early Saturday morning to hear a promo for an upcoming WHYY show starring John DeBella. The longtime classic rock DJ, who retired from 102.9 WMGK in 2023, was set to do a show featuring an interview with also-retired-radio-guy Angelo Cataldi. I wasn’t surprised so much because DeBella was known more for the classic rock thing than the interview thing — let alone interviews with people about sports. I was more surprised because WHYY just seemed like an odd place for DeBella to be — a place where the staff probably wouldn’t take too kindly to someone who’s faced the kinds of accusations DeBella has faced.

In February 2018, a former on-air radio colleague of DeBella filed a sprawling sexual harassment lawsuit against him, claiming that DeBella, among other things, asked her to perform oral sex on him on more than one occasion, grabbed her hand and placed it in his crotch, showed her explicit photos, and regularly called her by his nickname of choice for her: “Bitch.” She also sued the station, claiming that management knew all about it and did nothing.

WMGK quickly — within five months — settled the lawsuit out of court for undisclosed terms. The defendants admitted no wrongdoing. But reputations, perceptions and optics matter, especially in the broadcast-media business, and so, an odd choice, no? I mean, this is the station that produces Fresh Air on NPR.

It turns out DeBella’s Saturday show on WHYY was just a pilot. And it surprised not just me, but at least two WHYY staffers I spoke with, who both spoke under the condition of anonymity. “‘Gross’ is definitely one way to put it,” one of the staffers told me. “He’s more suited for some Barstool Sports-type operation.” (WHYY didn’t exactly have to look too far to find out about the suit, by the way. It was widely covered, including by WHYY!)

No word on whether WHYY will develop the pilot into a full-fledged show.

Things Steve Keeley Won’t Tell You

The number of shooting victims reported in Philadelphia in both January and February are the lowest numbers since February of 2019. Fact.

Local Talent

Preston & Steve personality and traffic reporter Kathy Romano has been doing her own show — Her Story — on sister station BEN-FM since 2017. But now Romano is making the jump to WMMR. Romano’s mission will still be to “illuminate the remarkable narratives of women catalyzing tangible change in their communities and beyond.” She’ll just be doing it at WMMR. The show airs on Sunday mornings at 7 a.m.

By the Numbers

13: Seasons Jason Kelce lasted before retiring from the Eagles yesterday. No word on whether he’ll still be making regular visits to this Delco McDonald’s .

140: Miles from home Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker will find herself this Thursday. She’s attending the State of the Union address.

5: Days of rain in the forecast this week. Enjoy Friday!

And From the So-Sad Sports Desk …

In case you somehow missed the news, it finally happened: Jason Kelce announced his retirement at a news conference yesterday.

The greatest to ever do it 🐐 Congratulations on an incredible NFL career, Jason Kelce. pic.twitter.com/HNRn5etpna — Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) March 4, 2024

He was truly a man for all seasons. One of Philly’s all-time phinest. Enjoy the rest, friend, and thanks for the memories.

Any Sixers Games Tonight?

Yep, they visit the Nets, tipping off at 7:30 p.m. Will Ben Simmons play? Probably not; he’s missed four straight games with “leg soreness.” Awww. What a shame.

“Everybody can b—h and complain about how tough this city is to play in. Just play better, man.” Never forget when Jason Kelce defended the city of Philadelphia when Ben Simmons was complaining how tough it is 🔥 pic.twitter.com/JsKKlFSiq2 — DraftKings Sportsbook (@DKSportsbook) March 4, 2024

How’d the Phils Do?

Nick Nelson gave up a homer to the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning of yesterday’s game, and though the Phils matched that with Aramis Garcia’s RBI double in the fourth, Bo Bichette drove in two more for the Jays off Griffith Garry in the fifth, and we never climbed out of that hole in a 5-2 loss. The Orioles are up this afternoon, with the usual 1:05 start.    

Never forget when Jason Kelce helped save the 2022 Phillies season. With the Phillies clinging to a one run lead in the 5th inning and the fans getting hype, Kelce appeared on the field, danced with the Phanatic and chugged a beer. Absolute legend. pic.twitter.com/YDX3TB90aK — Blake (@BlakeIFox) March 4, 2024

Any Doop News?

Only that they’ve got another Champions Cup game tonight, this time in the Round of 16 and against Pachuca, with a 7 p.m. start.

A Philly and @NFL legend forever. Enjoy your retirement, @JasonKelce ! #DOOP | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Fa6XMV6g8m — Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) March 4, 2024

And in College Hoops?

Nothing on yesterday; nothing on today.

The Flyers also played.

All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.

  • John DeBella

essay against sexual harassment

Everything You Need to Know Before the 76ers Enter the NBA Playoffs

essay against sexual harassment

17 Big Ideas to Make Philly a Kid-Friendly City

essay against sexual harassment

Everything You Need to Know for the Phillies 2023 Season

John Bolaris Claims Return to TV While Trashing His Ex-Girlfriend

About that state trooper video shot by celena morrison…, what should jason kelce do next our scientific predictions, par funding: unraveling a wild $550 million financial scandal, in this section.

IMAGES

  1. Critical Essay: Sexual harassment essay

    essay against sexual harassment

  2. Sexual harassment in the workplace Free Essay Example

    essay against sexual harassment

  3. Sexual Harassment and Bullying Essay 1

    essay against sexual harassment

  4. ≫ Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention Free Essay Sample

    essay against sexual harassment

  5. Actual Write UP

    essay against sexual harassment

  6. 📚 Free Essay with the Anti-Sexual Harassment Campaign Analysis

    essay against sexual harassment

COMMENTS

  1. Essay On Sexual Harassment in English for Students

    Over the years, sexual harassment has taken a lot of time to be recognized as a real issue. The essay on sexual harassment will take you through the details. Sexual harassment refers to any form of unwelcome sexual behaviour which is offensive, humiliating and intimidating. ... Further, it is against the law to sexually harass anyone. Over the ...

  2. Essay on Sexual Harassment

    The fight against sexual harassment is not just a legal battle, but a moral one that shapes the fabric of our society. 500 Words Essay on Sexual Harassment Introduction. Sexual harassment, a pervasive issue in society, is a form of gender-based violence that infringes upon an individual's fundamental rights.

  3. 7 Findings, Conclusions, and Recommendations

    FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS Chapter 2: Sexual Harassment Research. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that consists of three types of harassing behavior: (1) gender harassment (verbal and nonverbal behaviors that convey hostility, objectification, exclusion, or second-class status about members of one gender); (2) unwanted sexual attention (unwelcome verbal or physical sexual advances ...

  4. What it really takes to stop sexual harassment

    James Campbell Quick, PhD, and M. Ann McFadyen, PhD, seek to answer that question in the July issue of APA's Journal of Occupational Health Psychology (Vol. 22, No. 3, 2017). Their article reviews the literature on sexual harassment and finds that while sexual harassment complaints have decreased by 28 percent since 1998, complaints by males have increased, and merit resolutions and monetary ...

  5. Sexual Harassment in Modern Society Essay (Critical Writing)

    Sexual harassment is a very dicey topic since it is often squarely based merely on conceptions as opposed to reality. Consequently, many innocent men have ended up being wrongly accused for crimes they did not even commit. Edwards (2008) gives an example of how out of hand sexual harassment accusations can get.

  6. PDF A Short History of Sexual Harassment

    How did sexual harassment emerge as a legal and social problem? In this introduction to a book edited by Yale Law School professors, Reva Siegel traces the origins and evolution of sexual harassment law and culture in the United States. Learn how feminists, workers, and activists challenged and changed the norms and laws that enabled workplace discrimination and abuse.

  7. PDF Writing about Sexual Harassment: A Guide to the Literature

    The Civil Rights Act of 1991 clearly contemplates actions for sexual harassment and permits plaintiffs to recover compensatory and punitive damages up to a maxi-mum of between $50,000 and $300,000, depending on the size of the employer. 42. U.S.C. § 1981a(a)(1), (b) (Supp. III 1991). Jury trials are now available under Title VII for plaintiffs ...

  8. Sexual Harassment in Schools

    Identification. Sexual harassment is a violation of one's sexual privacy. Such violations are perpetuated without the consent of the victim. Young et al. (2004) define this form of abuse as any sexual behavior that is unwelcome and offensive to the individual. The offense can be verbal or physical.

  9. Recent Thinking about Sexual Harassment: A Review Essay

    the variety of sexual harassment claims. Twenty-five years ago, Catharine MacKinnon made her pathbreaking argument that sexual harassment constitutes sex discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. 1 Her work entrenched a paradigm of sexual harassment as sexual conduct that men impose on women because they are women. Since then, a variety of plaintiffs whose complaints do not ...

  10. Gretchen Carlson: My Fight Against Sexual Harassment

    Gretchen Carlson, a veteran broadcast journalist, worked at Fox News from 2005 to 2016. She settled a sexual harassment suit against Roger Ailes in September. Follow The New York Times Opinion ...

  11. Introduction

    Sexual harassment (a form of discrimination) is composed of three categories of behavior: (1) gender harassment (verbal and nonverbal behaviors that convey hostility, objectification, exclusion, or second-class status about members of one gender), (2) unwanted sexual attention (verbal or physical unwelcome sexual advances, which can include ...

  12. Misogyny, feminism, and sexual harassment

    The term "misogyny" is derived from the Ancient Greek word "mīsoguníā" which means hatred towards women. Misogyny has taken shape in multiple forms such as male privilege, patriarchy, gender discrimination, sexual harassment, belittling of women, violence against women, and sexual objectification.[1,2] The roots of misogyny can be traced back to ancient Greek mythology.

  13. Sexual harassment in higher education

    Sexual harassment is an epidemic throughout global higher education systems and impact individuals, groups and entire organizations in profound ways. Precarious working conditions, hierarchical organizations, a normalization of gender-based violence, toxic academic masculinities, a culture of silence and a lack of active leadership are all key ...

  14. Sexual Harassment in the Workplace, Essay Example

    According to Carter (2006), "taking preventative steps to eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace is the key to happy and productive workers not to mention happy supervisors" (Carter, 2006). It can be said that sexual harassment in the workplace is an issue that should be handled with care, because it can impact a lot of people.

  15. Essay Against Sexual Harassment

    1486 Words6 Pages. Against sexual harassment: In legal terms, sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct at work, which creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive. In real life, in the workplace sexual harassment ranges from offensive jokes or repeated contempt for a place full of attacking pornography (creating a hostile ...

  16. Essay on Sexual Harassment

    The term sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcomed sexual advances or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment . The Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that sexual harassment is a violation of the law. 2025 Words. 9 Pages. 3 Works Cited.

  17. Fascinating Argumentative Essay Sample on Sexual Harassment

    Introduction. Harassment is a behavior that intends to upset or disturb a person. It causes discomfort due to its offensive nature and repetitiveness. Legally, it is intentional behavior that is threatening or disturbing a particular person. Thus, sexual harassment is persistent advances of a sexual nature with the use of unwanted or unwelcome ...

  18. Sexual Harassment at the Workplace

    Skaine, R. (1996). Power and gender: issues in sexual dominance and harassment. McFarland. ISBN 0786402083, 9780786402083. This opinion essay, "Sexual Harassment at the Workplace" is published exclusively on IvyPanda's free essay examples database. You can use it for research and reference purposes to write your own paper.

  19. Photo Essay: Speaking Out Against Sexual Harassment

    Photo Essay: Speaking Out Against Sexual Harassment. By Jonathan Rashad. Egyptian activists and local NGOs called for a protest against sexual harassment in Cairo on Saturday June 14, 2014, following the recent mass sexual assault in Cairo's Tahrir square. "I have been harassed on the streets of Egypt since I was thirteen.".

  20. Essay on Sexual Harassment in College

    2. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. Cite This Essay. Download. Nowadays, sexual harassment has become a serious issue in institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities. It affects the mental and physical health of the victim.

  21. Vol. 115, No. 2 Essay

    In this Essay, we highlight some of the ways in which the legal profession is an interconnected ecosystem that facilitates sexual harassment. Sexual harassment, its causes, and its contributing forces highlight how we ... The public discourse surrounding the accusations of sexual harassment against two federal judges, Judge Alex Kozinski and ...

  22. Sexual Harassment and Violence against Women Essay Example

    Sexual Harassment and Violence against Women Essay Example. The two articles talk about sexual assault against women. Sexual assault refers to a sexual act or behavior through force or coercion that occurs without the will or explicit consent of a victim. The essay is a critical analysis of two articles; "Women have the right to be heard and ...

  23. 'Clear and convincing information' that hostages held in Gaza subjected

    Full extent may never be known. The UN team is of the view that the true extent of sexual violence committed during the 7 October attacks and their aftermath could "take months or years to emerge and may never be fully known" according to the press release. The mission made up of Ms. Patten and nine experts - which was not investigative in nature - conducted 33 meetings with Israeli ...

  24. Japanese ex-soldier wins U.S. award for her fight against sexual harassment

    Gonoi, 24, will be among 12 recipients globally of the U.S. award on March 4, according to a U.S. State Department statement, with recognition also going to women from Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran ...

  25. ILO and IMO recommend new steps against shipboard violence, harassment

    ILO and IMO recommend new steps against shipboard violence, harassment, ... Maritime sector. ... Globally, there has been an increasing awareness of violence and harassment occurring on ships, including sexual harassment, bullying and sexual assault, which compound the already challenging working conditions.

  26. Industry notables mentioned in Diddy sexual harassment suit

    In the wake of multiple lawsuits filed against him, former members of Combs' inner circle told The Times that his alleged misconduct against women goes back decades. Dec. 13, 2023 Justin Dior Combs

  27. Recent Thinking about Sexual Harassment: A Review Essay

    the variety of sexual harassment claims Tw enty-five years ago, Catharine MacKinnon made her pathbreaking argument that sexual harassment constitutes sex discrimination under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.1 Her work entrenched a paradigm of sexual harassment as sexual conduct that men impose on women because they are women.

  28. Gang rape of travel blogger in India triggers nationwide outcry

    The rape of a travel blogger by multiple men has triggered a nationwide outcry over one of India's rampant problems: a decades-long struggle to curb rising sexual violence against women.

  29. SpaceX Faces New Sex Harassment Claim Amid Broader Investigation

    New allegations of sexual harassment at Elon Musk 's SpaceX were filed in California state court Tuesday as the state's human rights agency continues to investigate separate allegations of widespread discrimination against women employees at the company.. According to the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the worker's manager allegedly forced her into a "quid pro ...

  30. What's Accused Sexual Harasser John DeBella Doing at WHYY?

    In February 2018, a former on-air radio colleague of DeBella filed a sprawling sexual harassment lawsuit against him, claiming that DeBella, among other things, asked her to perform oral sex on ...