Some forms of sexual harassment include:

• Making conditions of employment or advancement dependent on sexual favors, either explicitly or implicitly.
• Physical acts of sexual assault.
• Requests for sexual favors.
• Verbal harassment of a sexual nature, including jokes referring to sexual acts or sexual orientation.
• Unwanted touching or physical contact.
• Unwelcome sexual advances.
• Discussing sexual relations/stories/fantasies at work, school, or in other inappropriate places.
• Feeling pressured to engage with someone sexually.
• Exposing oneself or performing sexual acts on oneself.
• Unwanted sexually explicit photos, emails, or text messages.

 

Sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace or learning environment, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Sexual harassment does not always have to be specifically about sexual behavior or directed at a specific person. For example, negative comments about women as a group may be a form of sexual harassment.

Although sexual harassment laws do not usually cover teasing or offhand comments, these behaviors can also be upsetting and have a negative emotional effect.

 

The EEOC has defined sexual harassment in its guidelines as:

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition of an individual’s employment, or
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis
for employment decisions affecting such individual, or
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or
offensive working environment.

Unwelcome Behavior is the critical word. Unwelcome does not mean “involuntary.”
A victim may consent or agree to certain conduct and actively participate in it even
though it is offensive and objectionable. Therefore, sexual conduct is unwelcome
whenever the person subjected to it considers it unwelcome. Whether the person in
fact welcomed a request for a date, sex-oriented comment, or joke depends on all the
circumstances.

 

Sexual harassment includes many things…

· Actual or attempted rape or sexual assault.
· Unwanted pressure for sexual favors.
· Unwanted deliberate touching, leaning over, cornering, or pinching.
· Unwanted sexual looks or gestures.
· Unwanted letters, telephone calls, or materials of a sexual nature.
Unwanted pressure for dates.
· Unwanted sexual teasing, jokes, remarks, or questions.
· Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey.
· Whistling at someone.
· Cat calls.
· Sexual comments.
· Turning work discussions to sexual topics.
· Sexual innuendos or stories.
· Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history.
· Personal questions about social or sexual life.
· Sexual comments about a person’s clothing, anatomy, or looks.
· Kissing sounds, howling, and smacking lips.
· Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person’s personal sex life.
· Neck massage.
· Touching an employee’s clothing, hair, or body.
· Giving personal gifts.
· Hanging around a person.
· Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking.
· Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person.
· Standing close or brushing up against a person.
· Looking a person up and down (elevator eyes).
· Staring at someone.
· Sexually suggestive signals.
· Facial expressions, winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips.
· Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements.

VERBAL
· Referring to an adult as a girl, hunk, doll, babe, or honey
· Whistling at someone, cat calls
· Making sexual comments about a person’s body
· Making sexual comments or innuendos
· Turning work discussions to sexual topics
· Telling sexual jokes or stories
· Asking about sexual fantasies, preferences, or history
· Asking personal questions about social or sexual life
· Making kissing sounds, howling, and smacking lips
· Making sexual comments about a person’s clothing, anatomy, or looks
· Repeatedly asking out a person who is not interested
· Telling lies or spreading rumors about a person’s personal sex life
NON-VERBAL
· Looking a person up and down (Elevator eyes)
· Staring at someone
· Blocking a person’s path
· Following the person
· Giving personal gifts
· Displaying sexually suggestive visuals
· Making sexual gestures with hands or through body movements
· Making facial expressions such as winking, throwing kisses, or licking lips
PHYSICAL
· Giving a massage around the neck or shoulder
· Touching the person’s clothing, hair, or body
· Hugging, kissing, patting, or stroking
· Touching or rubbing oneself sexually around another person
· Standing close or brushing up against another person