Sexual Harassment at Work

Sexual Harassment at Work

Written by https://mosheslaw.com

Sexual harassment is a leading cause of unemployment and vice versa. Most people, especially the female gender, end up quitting their jobs due to the stressful experience caused by sexual assault at their workplace. On the other hand, as male unemployment goes up, so do the claims of sexual assault. Sexual abuse is gender-based form of discrimination. It can be physical, verbal or written.

Despite the existence of the New York City sexual harassment laws, the act continues to be a significant threat to gender equality at our places of work. However, sexual offence is often covered when it happens in our workplaces. Any person can experience. It doesn’t have to be repetitive: a single incidence is enough to constitute sexual intimidation. So, if subjected to any form of sexual abuse, you should talk to one experienced NYC sexual harassment lawyer immediately.

The relationship between sexual harassment at workplace and unemployment

Sexual intimidation forces most women and sometimes men to abandon their well-paying careers before finding another job opportunity. There is also a high correlation between sexual assault and job change. Eight out of ten women who experience sexual assault at their job place begin a new job shortly after the experience. As a result, these women end up experiencing a lot of financial strains. While some of them may end up landing in another job, others entirely leave their career field, resulting in unemployment.

What are the common types of sexual offences?

Request for a sexual favour

Questions or commentary about your sexual life, clothing or body

Whistling, staring, obscene or leering gestures

Belittling comments that are gender-specific 

Inappropriate, sexually-oriented behaviours like kissing, touching, hugging, brushing up against a person with intention, or standing too close.

Repetitive jokes of dirty and sexual anecdotes

Passing round images, cartoons or pictures of sexual nature

Writing emails or memos that insinuate sexual acts.

What situations at the workplace increase the risk of harassment?

Working in an isolated job context

People who work in confined areas report higher rates of sexual assault. That’s because the abusers take advantage of the fact that they will lack witnesses. If this behaviour persists, the person may end up quitting the only job they have, hence unemployment.

Working for tips

Hotel housekeepers and other workers in accommodation report very high rates of up to 14% of sexual intimidation. These cases especially happen to women whose wages are meagre and have to rely on tips as an additional income. 

Working in jobs dominated by men

Women who do tasks that are traditionally labelled as male-oriented are more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Women who work in construction areas where they are a small minority report that men often touch them or ask them for sex. Three in ten women working at the construction sites report more sexual assault based on their race, age or sexual orientation. In the military, 26% of women on duty report gender assault and sexual discrimination compared to the 7% sexual discrimination that their men experience. The same happens to women in the engineering and medical fields, areas that traditionally belong to men.

What you should do if you become a victim of workplace sexual extortion

If you experience any form of sexual intimidation at work, start by collecting and preserving your evidence. If it was oral, try as much as possible to remember each word the abuser uses or even write it down immediately. The best idea, however, is to electronically type the abusive statement in a form that can show time stamp. That way, it is easy for your attorney to prove the location and time in court. If the harassment is in writing, keep that email or letter.

Take photos of any inappropriate sexual insinuations including cartoons, displays or images.

Give your employer the chance to sort out the issue before heading to court. Understand their (employer’s) complaint procedure and ensure you follow it. Write down the complaint and also provide the abuser with copies that show evidence of the abuse.

Document any mental treatments you received as a result of sexual molestation.

Get in touch with other witnesses if you have any and record their statements

Preserve all your evidence well. Keep both hardcopies and back up soft copies. You don’t want to lose the only evidence you have.

So, what is the effect of sexual abuse on our workplace?

Employee absenteeism

People who are bullied at work have more days off from work than those who haven’t. One in six employees who face sexual violence tend to go for annual or sick leaves, immediately it happens.

Low productivity as a result of reduced performance 

Sexual offences at work is directly related to lack of motivation and commitment. It also is associated to the lack of job satisfaction and eventually, withdrawal. It affects both the victim and the witnesses and may end up negatively impacting both the individual and team performance. 

Interventions

As an employer, you should conduct occasional assessments to find out the risk factors associated with sexual assaults and assess the extent to which it impacts your employee.

Adopt anti-harassment policies in every company, communicate the plan to employees and offer procedures for reporting. Often evaluate the methods to test their functionality.

To sum up, sexual harassment is directly related to unemployment in this country. The human rights law of New York City is the broadest anti-harassment law in the US. It ensures zero tolerance for sexual assults and covers all employees’ claims on sexual offences. It’s time we stop covering sexual assault in the workplace when it happens. In case you experience sexual molestation, gender-discrimination or victimisation, the first thing you need to know is that the New York Country law protects you.