It’s very important for people to know how common sexual harassment is and what it looks like. People are aware that it happens, but some types of activities may fly under the radar, as they don’t recognize that these are forms of harassment.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at four common types of harassment that may occur.
Unwelcome advances
First of all, people may make unwelcome sexual advances in the workplace. This could happen if your coworker asks you out and won’t take no for an answer, but simply continues to pester you to have a relationship with them.
Sexual favors
In other cases, workers will be asked for sexual favors. This often happens with a boss or a supervisor. This is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment, where you may be offered something – such as a promotion – in exchange for those favors.
Physical harassment
Unwanted touching is a common example of physical harassment. This could be very serious, but it could also be something as simple as consistently putting a hand on the small of your back when they walk past you or resting their hand on your shoulder when they talk to you.
Verbal harassment
Finally, harassment can certainly be verbal. In fact, people often use the excuse that they were “just making a joke” when accused of harassment. But even joking can still be harassment, and the two are not mutually exclusive.
Do you believe you’ve been harassed or discriminated against on the job based on your gender or your sex? If so, it may be time to look into your legal options.