Tips On How To Address & Prevent Sexual Harassment In The Workplace

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Sexual harassment refers to any unwanted or inappropriate sexual behaviour, including advances, requests, or conduct that creates a hostile, intimidating or offensive work environment or disrupts an individual's work performance.

Examples of sexual harassment in the workplace can include but are not limited to, unwanted sexual advances, sexual comments or jokes, touching or physical contact, displaying sexually explicit materials, and making threats or demands for sexual favours in exchange for job benefits or advancement.

The importance of addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace cannot be overstated, and here are some reasons why it is important that organisations take action to prevent and address sexual harassment in the workplace:

A. The Legal Obligations: It is the legal responsibility of employers to create a safe and non-discriminatory work environment for all employees.

Neglecting to address and prevent sexual harassment can lead to legal consequences and negatively impact the company's reputation and image.

B. Its Impact On Victims: Sexual harassment can have a severe impact on the physical and mental well-being of its victims, leading to stress, anxiety, depression, loss of productivity, and in extreme cases, victims may quit their job.

C. The Impact On The workplace: A workplace that tolerates sexual harassment can have a negative impact on the morale, productivity, and overall atmosphere of the workplace. It can also lead to a toxic work environment, resulting in high employee turnover and challenges in recruiting and retaining skilled workers.

Recognising & Reporting Sexual Harassment

Recognising and reporting sexual harassment in the workplace is crucial to creating a safe and respectful work environment for all employees.

It is important to understand that sexual harassment can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, or age and organisations need to build a culture that does not condone it.

Types of Sexual Harassment

A. Verbal: This type of sexual harassment includes making unwanted sexual advances, comments, or jokes, or making sexual gestures.

B. Nonverbal: Nonverbal sexual harassment encompasses actions such as showing sexually explicit materials, making unwanted physical contact, or making sexual gestures.

C. Physical: Physical sexual harassment includes unwanted touching, kissing, or fondling, as well as sexual assault or rape.

How to report sexual harassment in the workplace

Encouraging a culture of reporting is crucial in addressing and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

When employees feel comfortable reporting incidents of harassment, it creates a safer and more respectful work environment for everyone.

Here are some steps that employees can take when reporting sexual harassment:

1. Document the incidents: Document all instances of harassment, including the date, time, location, and specific details of each incident. Additionally, preserve any evidence of the harassment, such as text messages, emails, or notes.
2. Report to a supervisor or human resources: Employees should report the incident to their supervisor or the human resources department as soon as possible. If the supervisor is the one who is harassing, the employee should report to the next level of management or the human resources department.
3. Seek legal advice: If the employee feels that the employer is not taking appropriate action, the employee can seek legal advice from a lawyer.
4. Be prepared: Be prepared for the possibility of retaliation, and document any retaliation if it occurs.

Where there is a policy in place, do well to acquaint yourself with the procedures for reporting sexual harassment and follow them accordingly.

Educate employees

Educating employees on sexual harassment is crucial for creating a safe and respectful workplace.

Regularly organising seminars and including the subject of sexual harassment in the orientation process for new team members will go a long way in enabling them to recognise and report incidents when they occur.

Also, encouraging bystander intervention is an important aspect of preventing and addressing sexual harassment in the workplace.

Bystander intervention refers to when someone who witnesses or becomes aware of sexual harassment takes action to intervene or stop it.

There are several ways to encourage bystander intervention in the workplace:

1. Raise awareness: Educate employees on the role of bystander intervention in preventing sexual harassment and how they can take action to intervene.
2. Encourage reporting: Encourage employees to report incidents of sexual harassment when they witness it.
3. Provide training: Provide training on bystander intervention for employees, including strategies for safely and effectively intervening in a situation.
4. Lead by example: Encourage managers and leaders in the company to model appropriate behaviour and intervene when they witness sexual harassment.
5. Create a culture of respect: Establish a culture of respect and mutual support in the workplace, where employees feel comfortable speaking out against sexual harassment.

Encouraging employees to take action when they witness harassment, creates a culture of accountability and helps to create a safe and respectful environment for all.

Provide support for victims

Providing support for victims will help them recover from the trauma of the experience, and also help to create a culture where victims feel safe reporting incidents and perpetrators are held accountable.

Here are some ways that employers can provide support for victims:

1. Establishing a clear process for reporting: Employers should establish a transparent and easily accessible reporting process for incidents of sexual harassment, and they should handle all reports with the utmost seriousness and attention.
2. Providing counselling services: Employers should provide counselling services for victims by referring them to a qualified counsellor.
3. Protecting the victim's rights: Employers should protect the rights of victims of sexual harassment, including maintaining the confidentiality of their identity and refraining from taking any form of retaliation against them for coming forward and reporting an incident.
4. Offering support during investigation: During the investigation process, employers should offer support and guidance to victims of sexual harassment by providing them with regular updates on the progress of the investigation and the final outcome.
5. Taking action against the perpetrator: If an investigation confirms that sexual harassment has occurred, employers should take appropriate actions against the perpetrator, such as imposing disciplinary measures or terminating their employment.

A workplace culture that promotes respect, equality, and inclusion helps to prevent sexual harassment and create a positive work environment for all employees.