Category: Sexual Harassment

Introduction

According to United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment is categorized as one form of gender discrimination that occurs at workplaces. There were many case of sexual harassment at workplaces in U.S. This led to the government coming up with laws aimed at mitigating this problem. Employers were made more accountable to any case of sexual harassment reported within their organizations. In addition, Society for Human Resource Management came up with seminars that aimed at training employers and employees on ways to avoid sexual harassment cases within their working environments. Most of the sexual harassment cases in United States appear to be reported by women. This is the most vulnerable group to this problem at workplaces. Sexual harassment is not only perpetrated by employers on their employees, different employees are also at times accused of sexually harassing their colleagues (Martell & Sullivan 1994, pp.195-200). According to EEOC, the number of sexual harassment cases filled by men is gradually increasing with 2004 reporting 17% of all reported cases coming from men.

The main reason for sexual harassment at workplace is herd to be identified. However, people claim that the relationship at workplaces is very intense and intimate. Employees working in the same field depend on one another at attaining their objectives. For employees to be promoted, they depend on their managers. This leads to the managers taking this opportunity to exploit their employees. Sexual harassment at workplaces may also occur due to a person suffering from trauma experienced in the event of divorce or when one lost his or her spouse. The intimate relationship between employees at workplace leads o some closing their boundaries. Sexual harassment at workplaces appears to occur across all operation fields. Nevertheless, women are found to suffer from sexual harassment especially in fields that were once believed to be of men. These include firefighting areas, mining as well as technological and medicine fields (Martell & Sullivan 1994, pp. 201-207).

Availability of sexist or environments favoring presence of sexual related objects and tones are some of the factors that has led to organizations finding it difficult to eradicate sexual harassment at workplaces. Currently, there are a lot of explicit pornographic materials in the internet. With most organization being furnished with internet, employees are able to access these materials. Eventually, their attitude towards people of the opposite sex is changed. Most organizations also do not control the kind of jokes cracked at workplaces. This encourages people using sexual sentiments towards their colleagues. In the end, people end up falling victims of sexual harassment. Despite some employees having the courage to report sexual harassment issues meted on them by their employers, there are others who fail to report the issues in fear of losing their jobs (Monat & Gomez 1986, pp. 712-718). Such employees continue suffering at the hands of their cruel employers without knowing what to do. This paper aims at giving an example of a sexual harassment case that occurred within Kamuga Corporation but the victim failed to report the case in fear of being sacked.

The Issue

Kamuga Corporation is a company that deals in manufacture of electronics. The company has employed different employees who work at various departments within it. It happens that the chief executive officer of the company is a lady by the name Ms. Musembi who is not married. John is one of the employees who work in the procurement department of the company. He had worked with the company for seven years and had been known by Ms. Musembi for his commitment to the company activities. Being a handsome man, Ms. Musembi started inviting John to her office occasionally. Initially, the invitation appeared to be business related where they could discuss on problems affecting the procurement department. However, the invitation gradually started changing where Musembi could invite him for tea outside the company. When he realized that Musembi had some hidden agenda and could spoil his marriage, he decided to ignore most of her invitations. However, Musembi did not stop there. He decided to organize for an international tour in the name of increase knowledge in procurement procedures. John had to travel with her to Dubai with Musembi to increase his knowledge in procurement processes with a bid to expand the business. In Dubai it happened that the to9ur was not about business but Musembi wanted to have an opportunity to spend time with John way from his fellow employees who had started suspecting her motives. His made John annoyed. Being unable to cater for his flight, he decided to give in to Musembis advances but later on returning home, he wrote a resignation letter and left the company.

Facts about the issue

John joined the company in 2008. Initially he worked as the production department. After working for seven months, Ms. Musembi claimed that he was a hard working employee and deserved to be promoted. This was not received well by other employees who had worked in the company for over ten years without being promoted. Eventually, John was elevated to manage the procurement department. He was responsible of liaising with suppliers, ordering and receiving materials used in electronic production. This gave John an opportunity to participate in organizations board meetings. As it is normal in organizations, whenever a new person join the board, it is the responsibility of the boards chair to introduce him or her to other members. It happened that Musembi chaired the board. Unlike the way she used to introduce new members to the board, she introduced John in a different manner that left other board members doubt his promotion. Musembi commented on how handsome John was and used all sorts of sexually provoking jokes. As she was a jovial lady, the board members did not take the matter seriously. However, John did not take the matter lightly and he decided to discuss it with Paul who was also a board member. Paul told him that Musembi was a jovial lady and all she said she did not mean it.

The next time Musembi invited John to her office. He had notified him that she wanted then to come up with a plan on how to source for more suppliers as they were in the middle of expanding the company. As John was devoted to ensuring the success of the company, he was ready to participate in any discussion aimed at improving the company. He got the office and found Musembi seated in her chair. Surprisingly, Musembi sent her secretary out who used to work on a desk next to her. This made John suspicious of the business as if it was all about the company issues there was no need of sending the secretary away. Musembi invited him to chair that was situated right in front of hers. She told him that she did not specifically intend to discuss company matters. Her main aim of inviting him to her office was to enquire why he looked annoyed when he was being introduced to the board. He told her that the introduction did not appear official and he feared his colleagues would doubt the credibility of his promotion. Musembi told him that she owned the company and had the right to promote whoever she wished. She offered to take John for an outing but John turned her down claiming that he was a married man and would not like to go against his marriage vows. John left the office without further conversation with Musembi.

This did not deter Musembi from making her advance against John. After two weeks, she decided to visit John at his procurement department. John was busy compiling orders that he intended to post the following day. All the other staffs in the department had been deployed to other departments as there was no work in the procurement department. John was surprised to see Musembi standing in front of him. He invited her and continued with his work. She was not happy with the invitation and asked if she was not supposed to visit him. John smiled and told her that she was warmly welcome to visit the department whenever she wished. After a short conversation, Musembi stepped closer to John and placed her hand on his shoulder. She started telling him how she fell in love with him the first time she saw him. She told him that they would keep the matter secrete if he feared his fellow employees knowing of his affairs with her. John reminded her of his marriage and requested her to remove her hand. Musembi kept on insisting making John to stop his compilation. As John tried to convince Musembi why he did not want to have an affair out of his marriage, one of his subordinates came into the office to submit some orders that had not been delivered to the office for processing. He was shocked to find Musembi holding John by the shoulders and John was trying to resist her. Fearing to be intimidated, he dropped the orders on the desk and left the office immediately. Musembi followed and left John in the office. That day he did not complete compiling the orders. This led to materials being delivered late.

Thinking that John feared his fellow employees Musembi organized for a trip outside the country where he told John that they had to go to Dubai for business matters. John had no option but to obey. The day came and they left having informed his wife that he was to be out for two days on business matters. The left with everybody in the company knowing that they were out for business matters apart from Musembi. In Dubai, John was shocked to find that Musembi had booked a single room for the two. He insisted on booking another room but Musembi told him to stop behaving like a child. She claimed that no one knew of what they were doing. She even offered to increase his salary once they go back to the country. John resisted and opted to sleep on the chair. The following day he demanded to go back home. Musembi canceled the trip and they decided to go back home. People in the company were shocked to see them return earlier than they had planed. Without discussing anything with other employees about the trip, he decided to write a resignation letter and left the company.

Applicable laws

Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employees are protected against sexual harassment at workplaces. The act gives the remedies taken in case of sexual harassment at workplaces. This covers employees working in organizations with more than fifteen employees. For organizations with less number of employees, there are similar state anti-discrimination laws that cover them. The act categorizes sexual harassment at workplaces into two types. These are the quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment. In quid pro Quo harassment, this is a situation where an employee is supposed to succumb to harassment so as to retain his or her job, have salary increment, be promoted or get other working benefits from employers (Larson 2003, para. 1-5).

Hostile work environment harassment on the other hand is the type of harassment that affects ones performance within the organization or leads to an offensive or abusive working condition (Bennett-Alexander & Laura 2007, p. 243). There are various considerations that are made to determine if the working environment is hostile. These include the type of conduct; if it was verbal, physical or both, if the conduct was intimidating or blatantly offensive, the frequency with which the conduct was repeated, the relation of the harasser to the harassed and the number of victims of the harassment. Quid pro quo harassment can be established with a single incident. However, to establish hostile work environment it requires one to investigate the trend of the conduct. There re various conducts considered as sexual harassment. These are request for sexual favors, physical or verbal conduct that are sexual in nature and unsolicited sexual advances. In Barnes V. Costle, the court of appeal from Columbia District declared that dismissal of employee for refusing sexual advances amounted to sexual harassment. This is because it adversely affected the victims working environment (Fenley 1988, pp. 3-5). Verbal sentiments may also comprise sexual harassment based on the context, motives of the remarks and frequency that they are used. If the remarks are offensive and intimidating they can be considered as sexual harassment. In Quality Inn V. UFCW, Local 175 the investigators despite finding that the supervisor had harassed the plaintiff, they held that the conduct did not amount to sexual harassment. Although the harassers conduct comprised of some offensive sentiments, they claimed that the conduct was not sexual harassment as it was shared among employees of both genders. However, Ontario Board of Inquiry expanded the scope of sexual harassment in Chaw V. Levac supply Ltd by stating that all derogative and negative statements directed towards a certain person amounts to sexual harassment (Collier 1995, pp. 321-345).

Analysis and conclusion

Unwelcome sexual advances are any attempt to lure a person to accepting our request without his or her will. It does not matter whether the harasser initially had an intimate relationship with the victim. In this case, Ms. Musembis actions constitutes of sexual harassment. When John realized of her motives, he warned her that he was a married man and was not interested in having extramarital affairs. When she visited him at his office in procurement department, John objected to her idea of placing her hand on his shoulders. He even decided to cancel the trip in Dubai when he understood that Musembi was taking this as an opportunity to advance her sexual requests on him. As a result of this harassment, John deserved to receive punitive damages from Ms. Musembi as a way of discouraging her from reciprocating the same to other employees (Campanella 1994, pp. 491-497).

The sexual abuse started seven months after John joined the company. This was after he was promoted to manage the procurement department. It continued throughout the rest of time he was in the company as Musembi could visit his department or call him to her office whenever she wanted to see him. This made him feel uncomfortable working in the company. After realizing that she could not win him in the company she decided to organize for international trip so as to have an opportunity with him. This affected him emotionally and he deserved to be compensated for that. Apart from the encounter in Dubai, all the other harassments took place at workplace. Musembi visited or invited John to her office during working hours. This made him fail to work effectively. For instance, the encounter in the procurement office made him fail to compile all orders leading to suppliers delivering their materials late. Despite John complaining about the matter and requesting Musembi to stop her advances, she did not stop. Had John filed the case, he could have received punitive damages (Campanella 1994, pp. 498-500). There is need for Kamuga Corporation to come up with sexual harassment policy that will deter Musembi and other employees who may have the intention of sexually harassing their colleagues at workplace.

Reference List

Bennett-Alexander, D. D. & Laura, P. H., 2007. Employment Law for Business (Fifth Ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Irwin.

Campanella, J., 1994. Sexual harassment as misconduct: Is there strict liability for harassers? Industrial law journal, 15(3), pp. 491-500.

Collier, R., 1995. Combating sexual harassment in the workplace. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Fenley, T., 1988. Dealing with sexual harassment: American experience. Equal opportunity international, 7(3), pp. 3-5.

Larson, A., 2003. Sexual Harassment Law. [Online] Web.

Martell, k. & Sullivan, G., 1994. Sexual harassment: The continuing workplace crisis. Labor law journal, 45(4), pp. 195-207.

Monat, J. S. & Gomez, A., 1986. Decisional standards used by arbitrators in sexual harassment cases. Labor law journal, 37(10), pp. 712-718.

Introduction

The implementation of the labor laws and regulations in an organization is imperative as it leads to increased productivity. This ensures that there is low employee turnover due to worker satisfaction as well as motivation.

The work environment should foster productivity through dealing with issues that affects workers motivation and productivity. The employment policies affect the organizations profitability all the time.

The essay is about the regulations as well as the implications on the company policies in relation to employee harassment.

The discussion is about the Occupational Safety and Health Act as well as how the organization will align its policies with the United States of America Labor laws.

The Important Harassment and Employment-Related Laws and Regulations

Harassment of workers is a major issue where the senior employees act in a manner that emotionally or physically hurts other workers. This affects new workers who may do things that are unethical because they are not yet used to the new environment and the existing workers do not accept them.

It also involves discrimination of workers based on the race, gender or religion. According to the United States labor laws, it is illegal to discriminate workers due to their gender, age, race or religion.

This organization therefore will not discriminate anyone based on gender, race or religion. All the workers will receive fair treatment where compensation will be based on merit according to the agreed terms and conditions (Norman, 2008).

Harassment also includes actions that harm the other person sexually. This form of harassment may be either verbal or physical. In most cases, it involves doing something to an individual in order engage in sex against his or her will.

The organization should not tolerate individuals found guilty of such actions. The other major form of harassment is institutional harassment where a given institution harasses the employees through legal procedures or policies intended to coerce the employees to act in a certain manner.

In most cases such policies involves threats, termination of employment and overworking policies that are not according to the compensation given to the workers.

In addition, it involves bureaucratic processes, which restrict employees from communicating with the superiors. The organization can foster productivity by eliminating institutional harassment of workers and provide motivating environment (Simon, 2008).

When complying with the United States labor laws, the organization must include the wages and salaries as part of the labor policy in the organization. The wages set by the organization should be according to the minimum wages set by the government of the United States of America.

However, different states have their own minimum wages that they have set. When determining the wages, the company should have a good structure on how different employees at different levels should be compensated. The payment policies govern the employees terms of employment whether casual, contractual or permanent.

This ensures that there will be resources due to the growth of the company and creation of appropriate time when the employees are supposed to report for work.

The company should also know how and when the employees would receive payment to avoid inconvenience as well as motivate them to be productive. The policies should also state the amount of money to be paid for the outsourced laborers (Honeyball, 2008).

The other regulation when creating the resources of the company relates to the formulation of Occupational Safety and Health where the company must have measures of protecting workers in the workplace.

The occupational health and workplace policies should explain the safety measures, procedures and compensation put in place by the company. It should have an incident action plan to enhance safety and outline the measures as well as policies for compensating the workers who are injured.

The compensation should adhere to the compensation outlined by the states rules and regulation on Compensation Act. The other issue relating to the occupational safety is that the company should conduct policies of development in the country (Norman, 2008).

The policies that will govern international employees are significant and should be considered by the management. These policies ensure that international employees receive compensation without discrimination and provide their ideas to the managers of the company.

In many instances, most of the international employees are harassed due to inability to have their issues addressed quickly because of the long distance from where the company is located. The company should create employment policies that favor the international employees to take care of their needs.

The international employees should not be discriminated in terms of wages but compensated equally like the local employees (Gillian, 2005).

Conclusion

The management of the organization should ensure that appropriate policies are provided for the employees. They should have policies, which ensure that the working conditions are favorable and motivating to the employees.

The policies should create an environment that promotes cohesion and motivation among the employees. When the organization has proper policies, it is likely to experience innovation, employee loyalty and high level of productivity.

References

Gillian, M. (2005). Labor law. New York: Hart Publishing.

Honeyball, S. (2008). Honeyball and bowers textbook on employment law. New York: Oxford University Press

Norman, S. (2008). Selwyns law of employment. New York: Oxford University Press.

Introduction

Employee relationships are often discussed by professionals because they have a great influence on the way a company operates and reaches their goals. In positive and supportive relationships, workers tend to be motivated to reach their potential. However, the same outcomes are never observed in those organizations where diverse workforce fails to have appropriate relationships. Some employers believe that workplace romances prevent their employees from being focused on their duties.

Even more adverse effects can be observed because of sexual harassment, as it does not involve mutual attraction, but it is based on unreciprocated advances (Mainiero & Jones, 2013). If such cases are overlooked, employee performance worsens, and they become less motivated to reach organizational goals (McLaughlin, Uggen, & Blackstone, 2012). To improve this situation, company leaders are to implement those changes and initiatives that prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. In this way, they can ensure diversity, encourage gender equality, and develop a positive working environment.

Background

Sexual harassment is a critical issue that can be observed in a diverse workplace when employees of both genders need to cooperate in order to perform their duties. In the majority of cases, this type of gender discrimination targets females. It can involve physical abuse but can also deal with the use of social media and text messages (Nielsen & Einarsen, 2012). Even though it is not a direct representation of sexual harassment, this aspect of the issue cannot be ignored because employees have access to social media not only at home but also in the workplace.

Even though the management does not have an opportunity to control the presence of the whole personnel on social media, it can develop associated policies that are to be followed in the office. Without them, the whole company is likely to observe adverse influences of sexual harassment. A victim will be affected emotionally: she will lose her self-esteem, which will influence the way she communicates with clients and coworkers. As a result, she will have a poor appetite, suffer from headaches, and have sleep disturbances. Facing such issues, this person will become likely to look for another job. In this way, sexual harassment will also cause low productivity and morale in the organization. Employee turnover will increase as well as associated expenses.

Recommendations

First of all, a company should develop its sexual harassment policy and ensure that all professionals have an opportunity to access it. This information can be provided in a handbook or/and placed in the break room for it to be regularly observed (Letke, 2014). This policy statement should include the following information:

• Companys attitude towards discrimination and harassment as well as their definitions;
• Employees rights and obligations;
• Explanation of the violation of the policy;
• Description of unacceptable behavior;
• Outline of the way complaints are handled (confidentiality, protection, assistance, investigation, resolution, etc.);
• Applied measures.

Even though it seems that in order to prevent sexual harassment, it is better to prohibit office romances, they are still likely to appear. The leaders of the organization can benefit if they develop consensual agreement forms that are to be filled in by those employees who entered the relationship willingly. As a result, an opportunity to prevent sexual harassment will be received.

The leaders of a company should always remember that employees follow their example. They should not be engaged in those behaviors they do not encourage. For instance, they should not laugh at inappropriate sexual jokes, reminding personnel that they are offensive (Letke, 2014). In addition to that, it is significant to let an employee know that those jokes one tells are inappropriate so that he/she can avoid such context in the future.

The management can also develop the office dress code to prevent sexual harassment. It especially deals with the way female employees dress up. Their clothes should not emphasize their bodies and attract additional attention to them.

It will be beneficial to develop anti-harassment workshops, during which problems that are associated with this issue are discussed. The upper-level employees are to be present at these meetings, as they are expected to share the obtained information with others.

Taking into consideration the fact that sexual harassment can deal with emails and social media, the management should encourage employees to follow particular standards of this communication. Moreover, corporate emails can be checked randomly. It is also vital to make all employees know that reporting of social harassment cases is appreciated. In this way, they will be less likely to become engaged in such actions.

If the management received sexual harassment complaints, they should respond to them as soon as possible. Immediate action ensures that inappropriate behavior will not last long, and adverse influences on a victim will not become even more critical. Moreover, such an approach ensures that no retaliation will follow harassment (Letke, 2014). An effective sexual harassment preventive plan should be developed to ensure a safe and comfortable environment.

In order to implement the discussed initiatives, the leaders of the organization should develop an action plan. Fortunately, such alterations can be done using minimum resources, which means that they can be used by any company regardless of its success. The whole process can last for a month approximately, but more time may be needed if some employees are not willing to accept changes and follow new instructions.

• Week 1: gather information needed for the development of sexual harassment policy and consensual agreement forms. Identify those behaviors that should be appreciated. Develop a general plan for workshops. Reveal what kind of dress code is likely to be the most appropriate.
• Week 2: prepare all materials that are to be studied by employees and ensure that all of them have access to it. Create a meeting that is focused on the sexual harassment and those initiatives the company is implementing in order to prevent it. Select those upper-level employees who will monitor the situation and make sure that the personnel follows new rules.
• Week 3: observe changes. Identify those issues that occur as well as changes in the organizational environment. Prepare reports for the management team.
• Week 4: create a meeting for the upper-level personnel to discuss observed obstacles and develop solutions to overcome them. Implement additional changes to minimalize employee resistance.

The management of any organization needs to realize that successful implementation of changes that address the issue of sexual harassment in the workplace can be done in four steps (see Fig. 1). However, this approach works for a company that has not to face such issues yet. In cases of sexual harassment made the management implement changes, there would be a necessity to add an initial step to this process that deals with the evaluation of the current situation.

When the management is willing to alter something in the way the company operates, it should develop a change strategy, pointing out what should be done and how. As soon as all needed resources are gathered, it is possible to let the personnel acknowledge how they are expected to change their behavior. Additional education should be provided for them to be able to meet new requirements.

Then, the upper-level personnel or selected supervisors should monitor the situation, noting what alterations are observed and what effects they make. If some weaknesses of the plan or personnel resistance were seen, the management should design additional changes to overcome them. In case some employees do not agree to follow new instructions, regardless of the attempts to make them alter their position, it can be better for the management to fire them. Those adverse influences their obduracy creates can damage leaders reputation and make the rest of the personnel follow their negative example.

In this way, advantages are likely to be observed due to the creation of sexual harassment policy and consensual agreement forms for romances in the workplace. The management should organize anti-harassment workshops and remember that they are to lead their employees by their own example. It will also be advantageous to create address code that can minimalize risks of improper treatment of female employees. Emails and social media should be controlled, as well. Finally, even if cases of sexual harassment occur, they are to be responded immediately.

Benefits

If the management realizes how critical the cases of sexual harassment in the workplace are, its members will definitely implement changes to follow provided recommendations. As a result, the company is likely to observe numerous benefits. When no gender discrimination exists, and employees are not sexually harassed, they are likely to create a positive environment that encourages equity and cooperation.

The personnel will be able to share and accept varied viewpoints without being afraid to observe adverse consequences of speaking up their minds. Both men and women will improve workplace functionality (Clapon, 2015). They will not have any problems while cooperating and will stimulate each other to reach their potential.

Employee communication will definitely improve when no sexual harassment is observed. Female workers will not lose their self-esteem and will not be afraid to stand their ground or explain their ideas. In this way, it will be easier for them to find a conflict resolution.

Needless to say that the absence of sexual harassment will increase an opportunity for the employees to build a positive work environment that encourages support and respect. It will be more pleasant for all involved parties to work in such an environment as diversity will not cause any critical problems that prevent workers from performing their duties. Mutual respect is vital in this framework because it already presupposes the absence of sexual harassment, as they cannot coexist.

In this way, employees can have an opportunity to focus on the strengths of their colleagues, which will have positive effects on the allocation of tasks in the future (Mayhew, 2017). As a result, the whole personnel will be prepared to handle conflicts when they arise without affecting company morale adversely. All in all, job performance will be expected to enhance significantly.

When the management implements those initiatives that are targeted at the prevention of sexual harassment or when it tries to resolve an existing issue, it shows that it values its employees and is always ready to take care of them. This fact is critical for the successful cooperation of the whole personnel and for the enhanced working outcomes. In particular, realizing that they are supported by organizational leaders, employees tend to become more willing to work harder and improve the quality of their services. In addition to that, their job satisfaction will enhance because they will definitely see that they are highly valued, and their contribution is appreciated.

As it was already mentioned, customer performance has a positive influence on the performance of the whole organization. When the leaders of the company develop initiatives to prevent sexual harassment, they make their employees feel valued and respected. Gender equality and diversity is supported, which is definitely mentioned by the personnel. In this way, they become more motivated to work hard. Their enhanced performance ensures that the company enhances its competitiveness and manages to satisfy its clients. As a result, its reputation improves significantly, and its positive image is spread all over the world (NAWBO Publications, 2016).

In this way, more people will be willing to work for this company, as discriminatory work environments do not attract potential workers, as they are associated with additional stress. Equality, support, and reward are those things that attract people. Having an opportunity to develop them with the help of initiatives that address sexual harassment, employers can receive an opportunity to make their company outstanding.

In the same perspective, dealing with sexual harassment, the management can obtain an opportunity to minimalize turnover and reduce associated costs. If a woman is sexually harassed by her colleague and the management does not do anything to overcome this situation, she will be likely to leave her position and to look for another job outside of this company. The same can be said about men. Even if they are not victims, they may be willing to avoid the created environment because it is not positive.

Moreover, their relationships with female colleagues can worsen even if they are not involved in the very case of sexual harassment just because of their gender. However, emphasis made on care and support is likely to have good retention outcomes. Fostering gender diversity and equity, a company can spend less on recruiting because there will be no necessity to look for new employees all the time. In this way, expenses associated with advertising, resources needed for interviews, and termination pay, etc. can be minimalized. Observing decreased turnover, new workers will be less likely to change their job as well.

Conclusions

Thus, it can be concluded that sexual harassment in the workplace is a critical issue that has adverse influences on employee relationships and the overall performance of the whole organization. It prevents the creation of a supportive environment and does not provide employees with an opportunity to reach their potential. In order to overcome this problem, organizational leaders should develop and implement those initiatives that are expected to prevent sexual harassment or at least to point out the way such issues can be overcome.

In this way, advantages are likely to be observed due to the creation of sexual harassment policy and consensual agreement forms for romances in the workplace. The management should organize anti-harassment workshops and remember that they are to lead their employees by their own example. It will also be advantageous to create address code that can minimalize risks of improper treatment of female employees. Emails and social media should be controlled, as well.

Finally, even if cases of sexual harassment occur, they are to be responded immediately. Only in this way, the leaders of the organization can obtain an opportunity to ensure diversity, encourage gender equality, and develop a positive working environment that motivates the personnel to cooperate and fulfill organizational goals.

References

Clapon, P. (2015). Heres why you should encourage gender equality in your company. Web.

Letke, A. (2014). 7 steps to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace. Web.

Mainiero, L. A., & Jones, K. J. (2013). Sexual harassment versus workplace romance: Social media spillover and textual harassment in the workplace. The Academy of Management Perspectives, 27(3), 187-203.

Mayhew, R. (2017). Why is respect important in a diverse workplace? Web.

McLaughlin, H., Uggen, C., & Blackstone, A. (2012). Sexual harassment, workplace authority, and the paradox of power. American Sociological Review, 77(4), 625-647.

NAWBO Publications. (2016). Five huge benefits of gender equality in your business. Web.

Nielsen, M. B., & Einarsen, S. (2012). Prospective relationships between workplace sexual harassment and psychological distress. Occupational Medicine, 62(3), 226-228.

Introduction

Sexual harassment violates both State and Federal law (Marshall 104). Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination that involves sexual advances that are unwelcome and sexual favors requests. Sexual harassment can be physical or verbal. Sexual harassment is regarded as physical when it involves energy while it is verbal when insults and offensive remarks are made about a persons sex (LeMoncheck 67). For example, making offensive comments about women is illegal and can be regarded as sexual harassment. In the given case of Tufts University, sexual harassment is prohibited (Bedau & Barnet 38). It is against the Universitys policy to harass anybody sexually and anybody liable for the crime faces disciplinary action. The matter of sexual harassment has been under scrutiny in the University with some employees, agents, and students seeking clarification on what would constitute harassment. Many people are confused on where the line is between inoffensive flirtation that is harmless and sexual harassment (LeMoncheck 83).

An analysis conducted by the University, regarded for that sexual harassment to be considered by the University board there should be sexual favors or sexual advances happening within the University academic term or employment term. If such conduct whether physical or verbal affects and interferes with an individual academic performance (in the case of a student) and in the case of an employee, the University becomes a hostile, intimidating, and offensive environment to work (Bedau & Barnet 114).

Analysis of Sexual Harassment in School

In a school environment, everyone can be a victim of sexual harassment. It can involve a teacher and student, an instructor and instructor, a student and a student, staff member, and student, or other relationships among co-workers, colleagues, and peers (Bedau & Barnet 39)

The behavior that would constitute sexual harassment include obvious or subtle pressure for sexual favors, persistent request for dates, offensive email messages of sexual nature, comments and sexual jokes, physical contact that is unwanted such as pinching, constant brushing against a persons body or patting(LeMoncheck 101). Other actions included in the list are whistles, lewd remarks, and display of offensive pictures, which are a sexual or personal references to ones anatomy (Bedau &Barnet 139)

However, sexual harassment can be perceived or interpreted differently depending on the individual and the working environment. This is because several sexual behaviors are perceived as less offensive by males (Bedau &Barnet 142). This is because using a word that may be termed as sexual violence by women if would count as a flatter or a compliment by men. This may account for women reporting more negative outcomes of sexual harassment than men in the workplace (Bedau & Barnet 147) Due to this, enhancing or educating people about what sexual harassment entails becomes a challenge.

University administration guards the victim of sexual harassment against retaliation. It is illegal if a student or employee is retaliated for filing a sexual harassment complaint or for helping in the investigation in such a case. In Turf University, any act of sexual harassment is punishable and the person committing the crime can face the following disciplinary action.

• His/her job can be terminated
• He/she can be denied promotion if he was eligible
• An individual can be demoted from his current position
• If it is a student, he/she can face suspension or can be given a letter of reprimand.

Nevertheless, these penalties fail to be practical enough since even though sexual harassment is commonly spoken about, it is a subject that causes great tension, discomfort, and ultimately. Therefore some people have preferred not to talk about it since reporting of information relates to age, level of education, among other factors(Bedau &Barnet 153)

Analytical Solutions to Sexual Harassment

Every case of sexual harassment is unique (Paludi & Richard 18). It is, therefore, necessary to investigate and understand the nature of the complaint before determining the most appropriate option. The solution to sexual harassment at Tufts University can either be formal or informal(Bedau &Barnet 186). The victim of the harassment is highly advised not to keep quiet and do anything as there are many ways the School can help.

Here are a few tips that people are advised to follow in case they believe they are being sexually harassed:

• They should gain courage and tell the harasser No. No more no less (Marshall 158).
• If the harasser has been harassing for some time, a written complaint to him/her describing which particular behaviors are threatening and offensive is recommended. The complaint should be given to the harasser and the harassed should keep a copy.
• Just in case sexual harassment has taken place, the victim should ensure that she keeps track of time, place, date, and witnesses in case of any (Marshall 138). The victim should be aware of the nature of harassment and any cards, letters, or notes written by the abuser should be kept safely.
• The victim should report to the known authorities immediately to be advised on the next step to undertake. In the case of Tufts University, victims are advised to seek assistance from Health Services psychiatrists, Counseling Center, Campus Chaplains, or Health Services, counselors.
• Tufts University has a laid-out procedure for sexual harassment grievances that every victim is advised to utilize in case of such an incident.

Sexual harassment claims can either be resolved formally or informally. Every campus has a resource person appointed in dealing with a sexual harassment case. These cases are required to be handled confidentially while making sure that everyone is given an Equal opportunity. The Tufts University resource people include Tufts dean organizations. The organizations include; Health Education Program; Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Resource center; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Asian American Center among others (Bedau &Barnet 207).

The informal way of solving a sexual harassment case involves the two parties discussing. In case the two people do not come with a solution or an agreement, the complainant should consult a supervisor, Human Resources, or an administrator on an informal basis. The matter, in this case, should be handled with the required confidentiality. In case after giving the case reasonable time a resolution cannot be reached, the Institutions sexual harassment grievances procedures should be followed (Paludi & Richard 47).

Sexual Harassment Grievance Procedure involves the complainant filing his/her grievance to the appropriate resource persons. The grievance filed should be in writing and all the necessary information provided. The information includes the harassment complained of, the abuser alleged of the harassment, and the resolution that was sought (Marshall 144). The University grievances procedure state that the grievance should be filed within 90 days following the incident. In case there are justifying circumstances, the University may extend the period.

Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination, which offends state and federal law. It violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Marshall 158). The main debate regarding the issue is what actions would amount to sexual harassment. Physical and verbal conduct that is offensive and sexual amounts to sexual harassment. Sexual harassment usually occurs with a promise that the victim will be offered job promotions or increased wages in case of employment (Ibid 166). In the case of students, they are promised better grades and other favors.

In case sexual harassment has occurred, a solution should be sought either formally or informally. The first step in case of such accusations is to ensure that the behavior was offensive to constitute sexual harassment. The complainant and the alleged person should try solving it informally. Just in case it fails, the incident should be reported to the required authorities and a written statement taken. The alleged person should then be punished according to the laid down rules.

Works cited

Barnet, Sylvan and Bedau, Hugo Adam. Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argument, With Readings. Bedford: MK Bedford / st. Martins, 2009. pp 36  414

LeMoncheck, Linda and Hajdin, Mane Sexual harassment: a debate. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007 pp 66  221

Marshall, Anna-Maria. Confronting sexual harassment: the law and politics of everyday life. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2005 pp 102  72

Paludi, Michele Antoinette and Barickman, Richard. Academic and workplace sexual harassment: a resource manual. SUNY Press, Albany, NY: 2001 pp 16  144

Sexual harassment is a common issue in workplaces worldwide. It can be related to any gender, but the issue is particularly relevant for women. There are various laws and acts that are purposed to protect people from such behavior of others, yet the problem is still present and requires attention. More often, sexual harassment is a kind of victimization. It involves the improper use of power to extort sexual pleasure and involves having the wrong idea about someones intentions (Richard et al., 2020). It represents a male having dominance over an abusive female. As it indicates a disparity of power between the offender and the victim, which generally reflects power disparities among males and especially among women in the public sphere, it may be said that the act results from an abusive control rather than from sexual interest.

Legal experts and academics have emphasized that the current situation is suspect since it not only interferes with the individuals involved personal lives but also casts doubt on the unlucky victims abilities and composure. Inappropriate behavior is put in the monetary and political context of intense interactions, just like all other reported symptoms of violence. It develops within the male-centric social structures of class, status, and masculine authority. That type of behavior involves tactical and prior planning and sexual law concerns.

Due to historical connections between massage and sex work, negative preconceptions that support the sexual objectification of massage treatment exist. Additionally, some people could find the privacy and complete or partial nudity associated with massage treatment to be seductive. However, very little is known about clients who sexually harass massage therapists. The purpose of the current research project was to look at massage therapists claims of client sexual harassment. A survey on the circumstances and effects of harassment incidents was completed by 143 massage therapists (Gupta & Garg, 2020). According to the poll, sexual harassment by customers occurred to 74.8 % of massage therapists, with 26.5 % reporting incidents more than three times (Gupta & Garg, 2020). Although 34.0% of respondents said they had experienced both physical and verbal types of harassment, verbal forms of sexual harassment were more prevalent (55.0%) than physical forms (6.0%) (Gupta & Garg, 2020). The majority of incidents (87.9%) took place during the actual therapy, and 79.4% of therapists reported the incident to someone (Gupta & Garg, 2020). Only one therapist called the police to report an incident. The implications for enhancing the safety of massage therapists are highlighted, along with a recommendation for more study in this area.

Regarding the safety of clients, there are various recommendations for the owners that they can adopt to make their customers feel safe. The key to assuring that the person who is being hired as a massage therapist is harmless for clients is the proper interview  it has to be an experienced interviewer who understands what is expected from a professional in such a position. Checking the persons background, licensing, and online presence is crucial as well (Benjamin, 2021). It is necessary to have a code of ethics for the massage therapists so it is clear what they are allowed to do. The statements in the code have to be clear and strict regarding sexual harassment, so it is clear to employees that such behavior will lead to consequences.

References

Richard, M. E., OSullivan, L. F., & Peppard, T. (2020). Sexual harassment of massage therapists by their clients. The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 29(2), 205-211.

Gupta, D., & Garg, J. (2020). Sexual harassment at workplace. International Journal of Legal Science and Innovation. Web.

Benjamin, B. (2021). Sexual assault prevention guidelines. Massage & Bodywork, 36(5), 72-79. Web.

Definition of the Problem

The ethical decision model is among the most used ethical strategies that aid in creating the most efficient solutions to any ethical issue. The model purposely lacks the financial aspect so the person assessing it would pay close attention to values instead of profit. Weak corporate culture, lack of awareness about sexual harassment regulation, and no internal employee control are the leading causes of inappropriate behavior. The issue can be defined as an unwanted sexual advance or other sexual nature conduct, which offends, humiliates, and hurts the feelings of the victim. All employees must be able to identify any type of sexual harassment and not be scared to report it while it is the employers responsibility to always respond to such allegations and impose correct penalties. However, the current situation regarding sexual harassment is far from perfect and needs the development of highly effective solutions against predatory behavior.

Seek out Relevant Assistance, Guidance, and Support

Although recent years have been effective in terms of speaking out about sexual harassment in all industries, there is still no evident improvement regarding this unacceptable behavior. It was discovered that 94% of the organizations in the United States have policies against sexual harassment in the workplace, which does not entirely solve such a resonant problem (Board, 2018). It is common for the victims to stay quiet or disregard predatory actions; however, there are many existing hotlines and support groups that aid people who experienced workplace harassment and seek help.

Alternative Solutions to the Problem

Many preventive actions that are supposed to fight and eliminate the problem of sexual harassment in the workplace exist. Naturally, zero-tolerance policies are the least the companies can do to contribute to the sexual harassment prevention methods. In addition to the regulations, the employer must create a respectful, healthy environment with a corporate culture in which every worker is treated equally. Training also shows a significant effect while fighting against sexual harassment. Employees gain valuable insights they might never think of and learn how to avoid and avert any inappropriate sexual behavior. The employer must be approachable and trustworthy so that victims feel comfortable coming forward and talking about such a sensitive topic without the fear of retaliation. Hiring a supervising person who will continuously keep an eye on every employee and report each sign of sexual harassment, might be a robust but efficient step for an organization, which previously had experience with unwanted sexual behavior.

Evaluation of Identified Alternatives

It is vital to have clear comprehension and evaluate all strengths and weaknesses of all the proposed solutions to find the most sufficient one. Undoubtedly, zero-tolerance policies and anti-sexual harassment policies must be present at every company, as it is the foundation to preventing unwanted behavior; however, many sexual predators are likely to disregard it and still proceed to harass the employees. Advocating for healthy corporate culture is vital not only for the prevention of inappropriate conduct but also for the overall staff interrelations. Amicable, trust-based relationships between the employees significantly reduce the probability of sexual misconduct in the workplace.

Training has recently gained a controversial nature, even though it must be a mandatory action that can contribute to the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace. A New York Times article Sexual harassment training doesnt work. But some things do state that most seminars dedicated to inappropriate sexual behavior succeed only in teaching basic definitions of the harassment and ways to report them but fail to give information on preventing it from ultimately happening (Miller, 2017). Therefore, while conducting yearly lectures, it is essential not to do it just for the checkmark but also to engage the colleagues and ensure their comprehension.

The employer is as much responsible for unwanted sexual conduct in the workplace as the offender. However, the top management must assure each employee that if any inappropriate actions are taken upon them, it is best to come forward and report them. According to the Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins, only 17% of employees report sexual harassment to their supervisors (Australian Human Rights Commission, 2018). Therefore, it is crucial to establish trustful employer-employee relationships, so the workers do not hesitate to state any offensive behavior, knowing that the top management will inevitably take appropriate action. Moreover, obtaining a supervisor, responsible for monitoring and identifying inappropriate behavior would be an extremely effective solution for those workplaces with previous experience with sexual harassment. Even though some employees would feel uncomfortable being constantly watched, it would significantly decrease the chance of misconduct reoccurrence.

Making and Implementing the Decision

After assessing all the proposed alternatives, hiring a supervising person, who can continually monitor the employees behavior and have occasional conversations with them, would be the most effective way of preventing sexual harassment in the workplace. Nevertheless, the other proposed solutions must also be a vital part of the anti-harassment program at every organization. Such an administrator may be present at the place of work for only several days a month; however, compile a precise assessment of the corporate culture, employee relationship, and the existence of a hostile atmosphere. As a part of the job, such attendants may have brief talks with the workers, who can help identify or report inappropriate behavior.

Evaluating the Decision

The decision to acquire a sexual harassment supervisor to the company, combined with other proposed solutions, will significantly decrease the chances of impropriety reoccurrence and establish a safer environment for every worker. By hiring a person responsible for monitoring inappropriate actions in the company, the chances of a sexual predator taking action are much lower. Additionally, by establishing ensuring relationships with the superintendent, employees would be more comfortable to report any issues to them. Sexual harassment topics cannot be ignored or misconceived, as hesitation to act on them may lead to severe consequences for the victims.

References

Australian Human Rights Commission. (2018). Everyones business: 2018 sexual harassment Survey. Web.

Board, N. (2018). Ending sexual harassment in the workplace. Journal of Employee Assistance, 48(2), 1820.

Miller, C. (2017). Sexual harassment training doesnt work. But some things do. The New York Times. Web.

Introduction

We can hardly obtain accurate figures on the incidence of sexual harassment in countries across the world, especially in areas where this topic of sexual harassment is sensitive and cannot be discussed publicly. Therefore, it is difficult to compare the figures among various countries, especially when the victims are reluctant to report. Issues related to methodological aspects also make the situation more complicated, mainly due to the use of non-standardized measures of sexual harassment and the difficulties associated with recruiting respondents and questioning sample representation. (Sigal & Jacobsen, 1999).

The Global Challenge: Incidence and Reports

However, international sexual harassment is indeed a big problem. We can find these problems in various reports: Data from Asian countries indicate a high rate of sexual harassment. As with violent crimes, the number of sexual harassment is extremely difficult to estimate because this kind of crime is usually underestimated. But we can still infer the full picture from a small point. For example, the International Federation of Trade Unions estimated that 30-40% of female workers in the Asia Pacific region reported harassment to some extent in 2008. (Vaswani, 2017)

In Japan, a survey conducted in 2001 showed that about 75% of respondents experienced at least one incident of harassment (Killion, 2004). This figure is also consistent with the findings of the Korean study reported in the ILO report.

In Asia, the price of sexual harassment is not high. Take Cambodia’s garment industry. Take Cambodia’s clothing industry as an example. Women account for 85% of the national labor force and are crucial to the success of the garment industry. This sector accounts for one-third of Cambodia’s economy. However, a recent study shows that they are also the victims of sexual harassment because they have far less power than their male colleagues, especially the bosses and managers. (Vaswani, 2017)

Killion also indicates that sexual harassment of women in mainland China is not even considered a social issue because other issues, such as economic ones, are always given more priority than any other human rights issue. Killion claims that in China, the law has not yet been enacted, and international anti-sexual harassment protection standards have not been implemented, leaving women without any official choice to combat sexual harassment in the workplace. (Killion, 2004)

In the Middle East, Turkey is described as a society, and because of its patriarchal nature, harassment may be extensive (Wasti et al., 2000). Obtaining figures on sexual harassment in other patriarchal cultures, such as Pakistan, is very difficult. However, Barak (1997) speculates that sexual harassment may be widespread in a country in the same region, India.

A recent study conducted by Simelane under the auspices of the African Women Educationalists Forum (FAWE) showed that “all forms of sexual harassment are reported to be ubiquitous on campus” in a major university in South Africa.

In general, the incidence rates in individualist countries such as Canada and Western Europe are comparable to those in the United States, although estimates can range from a very low percentage to more than 90%. A further report by the International Labor shows that 2% or 3 million employees in the European Union (EU) countries have experienced sexual harassment by women workers at a higher rate than female employees. The report shows that these figures vary widely from country to country, possibly because of different reporting rates and not different rates of sexual harassment.

International Laws Against Sexual Harassment

By the year 2000, a total of 31 countries had set up sexual specified harassment legislation, but these laws varied widely in terms of penalties and enforcement (Sigal, 2004).

Sigal et al. proposed that there are at least three general types of anti-sexual harassment laws:

1. Allow victims of sexual harassment to sue for penalties (for example, in the United States, the United States);
2. Laws that criminalize sexual harassment (for example, the Philippines and Taiwan); and
3. Legislation allows employees to quit their jobs and receive compensation from employers (e.g., in Germany).

The European Union and the European Commission have formulated policies and directives for the resolution of sexual harassment, which have been translated into ‘legally binding laws” for all countries. The two organizations describe sexual harassment as sexual discrimination, which hampers the right to dignity in the workplace. Major countries such as Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, and the United Kingdom all received these instructions.

Countries such as Albania, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Machaon, Moldova, Moldova and Moore. Dova, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine are the contingent-owned states that need to implement these directives. Brazil and other Latin American countries have signed the United States Convention on the prevention, punishment, and elimination of violence against women.

Conclusion

Since 1995, Asia, Australia, Bangladesh, Japan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Hongkong have all enacted laws against sexual harassment. In India, the Supreme Court found that sexual harassment was a major social problem and provided steps or guidelines for preventing sexual harassment. There is no special sexual harassment law in China, but the Constitution and other laws do indicate that sexual harassment of women shall be prohibited. It is worth noting that in China, sexual harassment can only be targeted at women but not men. In fact, there are many cases in which men are sexually harassed and even raped. For example, the case of a 53-year-old man being raped by a man has aroused a wide range of attention. (www.sina.com, 2016)

References

1. Sigal, J., & Jacobsen, J. (1999). Methodological Issues in Cross-Cultural Research on Sexual Harassment. In R. King & E. L. B. Meulen (Eds.), Women’s Studies in the 21st Century: Proceedings of the Second International Interdisciplinary Congress on Women (pp. 119-126). Utrecht, The Netherlands: Universiteit Utrecht.
2. Vaswani, K. (2017). Sexual Harassment in the Asia Pacific Region: A Comparative Study of Legislation and Implementation. Singapore: Springer.
3. Killion, L. A. (2004). Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: A Global Challenge. London, UK: Lexington Books.

Introduction

In recent years, sexual harassment victims are coming out more and more each day. Enough is enough. Women have been trained that sexual harassment or anything sexual or abusive is part of being a woman. Being treated this way is simply something we shall live with and accept and push through to go on with as a part of life. Sexual  Harassment in the workplace, in public and private, should be against the law and not be tolerated. Sexual Harassment is “unwelcome sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature” (State. gov,2018). Sexual Harassment can happen to anybody: children, young adults, the elderly., It’s not limited to women alone.

“Title IX is a specific component of the Education Amendments of 1972. This act says that no person in the United States shall be excluded from participating in, subjected to discrimination, or be denied the benefits of any education program or activity that receives financial assistance from the government on the basis of sex” (Vittana,2018)

Analysis

Title IX rulings have covered “sexual violence, harassment, and even athletics access since it was passed” (Vittana,2018). This act has opened the door to more educational opportunities for women. Before, opportunities were granted to men, such as athletics. The educational amendments created more access for women to equal opportunities in school and the workplace. With this, the creation of expanding knowledge on campuses created the most influential recruitment. For example, Florida International University offers a sexual assault prevention training program (Student et al.,2018). Not only did this act create greater access for young women and children, but it helped men gain access, too.

The” Me Too Movement, The Silent Breakers” related a space for high-end celebrities and the most influential people around the globe to talk about the unthinkable, the ignored, and inequality between men and women. A USA Today examination provided that 2,000 bills passed within 24 months since allegations of sexual HarassmentHarassment arose. Two hundred sixty-one laws passed, and elected officials directly addressed topics championed by the movement that Title IX lacked. Taking a look at Title IX and the Me Too movement is crucial. Even though the Department of State, Diplomacy in Action is committed to sexual harassment policies, many of the victims are encouraged to report the unwelcome conduct, but nothing is “easier said and done,” which results in many coming forth now with allegations. There are many cons with Title IX; programs were cut instead of increasing access in some instances.

Schools have faced a choice: losing funding or creating equal opportunities. Many schools felt that creating access required too much money, so they cut programs and scholarships instead of expanding. Money is still not allocated to educational institutions. If many people go through school before hitting adult life, sexual education is important. Suppose many individuals are not getting the right school on how to treat one another and act according to how young men or women expect what’s right and wrong. Certain behaviors can be stopped with the right encouragement because of years of dismissing the idea that acting and pursuing a potential companion friend or more can be done without forceful actions.

“Statistics show that 1 out of 4 women experiences sexual HarassmentHarassment and violence. These rates are higher than before Title IX… instead of having men and women be separated, they are together more often, and schools have struggled to put in structures that provide an adequate level of protection” (Vittana,2018).”

Recommendation

The destruction of Title IX is much needed. The inspiration and influential meaning of the Me-Too Movement should be highly suggested, including renaming the policy to” Me Too Sexual Harassment Policy” Problem that has no name” Funds should be allocated to preserve educational movements, programs, and conferences to raise awareness about what is happening not only in the United States but all over the world. This isn’t something that has sprung up overnight, but it was simmering for years, decades, and centuries.

Implementation

The Me-Too Sexual Harassment Policy, if implanted correctly, can many cases and victims can come to an understanding and reduce trouble in their daily lives. The U.S. Department of State, Diplomacy in Action, must be responsible for the implantation and creation of details of the policy in a “regulation” (Quora,2018). From regulation, it should be published in the Federal Register and open for a comment period during which anybody can provide feedback to the agency. Fines should be established depending on how severe the HarassmentHarassment takes. For example, verbal should be a certain amount, and enrolling in a course to recognize the wrongdoings of these actions.

Conclusion

The agency creates policies and procedures, manuals, rules, forms, systems training, and guidelines that employees would need to perform for the policy. The U.S. Department of State does recommend mediation. Grievances and EEO processes and Processes for Foreign Service Nationals (FSNs). More programs should be developed for victims and suspects. These programs include therapy, rehab for substance abuse, and educational certificate programs.

Many suspects are victims of their own story; many perform what they know. Unfortunately, these persons didn’t get the proper information and guides to stop certain actions. If treated properly, many sexual harassment cases can be put to a stop. The purpose of the Me-too Sexual Harassment Policy is to create a space for victims and uphold crime against human rights in life; this can be the future of generating a carefree world of expression through clothing, voice, and ethnicity.

References

1. State.gov. (2018). Sexual Harassment. Retrieved from [URL] Citation in Text: (State.gov, 2018)
2. Vittana. (2018). Title IX. Retrieved from [URL] Citation in Text: (Vittana, 2018)
3. Student Affairs FIU. (2018). Sexual Assault Prevention Training Program. Retrieved from [URL] Citation in Text: (Student Affairs FIU, 2018)
4. Quora. (2018). How is a US regulation different from a US policy? Retrieved from [URL] Citation in Text: (Quora, 2018)

Introduction

Throughout the YouTube video, 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman, an actress is harassed by various men while she silently walks in different neighborhoods. This actress appears to be white and in her early twenties. As noted by the video, they recorded over 100 instances of what they classified as harassment, as well as whistles and winks. I can see how some individuals would question why polite greetings or compliments were considered menacing. Some of the greetings could have been perceived as friendly encounters and not as harassment. Since we can’t fully understand the mind or intentions of another person, we rely on behavioral cues to determine the interaction.

The Complexity of Street Harassment

This can also be affected by our preconceptions and biases. Although the comments did not seem threatening, the context, as well as how they were said, was inappropriate and unwanted. Comments such as “Good morning ” were only directed towards the actress and not other males in the area. She was not inviting a conversation with them, nor did she look their way as to encourage it. She gave clear signals that she was not interested in not responding and walking away.

Many of these men seemed to feel entitled to salaciously comment at her, stare, and follow her. As such, I would classify these behaviors as harassment. As a woman commuting in NYC, I have also experienced verbal harassment and sexual objectification while walking the streets. It can be an uncomfortable and dehumanizing experience having a stranger comment on your body or demand your attention. Often, these interactions have the potential to lead to a dangerous situation and question how safe it is to walk alone.

The Impact on Personal Safety

The actress in the video has her personal space invaded and threatened at several points. Regardless of her attempts to avoid harassment, such as shifting eye contact or deeply sighing, she was still subjected to these intrusions. In two instances, the men stalked her for several minutes and got very close to her. It seemed as though they were trying to assert themselves over her so that she would respond. I also noted that several men were shouting comments towards her as she walked by.

There was an instance in which a man made a comment referring to the logo on the back of her jeans. I also noticed that they looked at her body up and down. Some men invaded her personal space and were engaging in objectifying language. For example, they would use words such as “damn” while speaking about her body and walking closely behind her. Similarly, I have been followed for several blocks, called vulgar names, and grabbed. This has led to me changing the way I commute and carrying pepper spray in my bag.

As I watched the video, I noticed that the majority of the men depicted harassing her were people of color. Notably, they were either African American or Latino. However, the film makers claimed that they had recorded instances of the actress being harassed by individuals of all racial backgrounds. Yet, they did not include many of these exchanges in the final cut of the video. I also noticed that many of the shots included men of color lounging around.

This can give the impression that people of color engage in predatory behavior and street harassment. This perpetuates the harmful belief that these men are dangerous. While watching the video, I also found it odd that the majority of the neighborhoods she visited are known for being associated with people of color and a certain SES. This made me question why they chose these areas and if there was some bias being depicted.

Overall, I think that this video brings some awareness to the issue of street harassment and, through its widespread views, has society discussing what it means to be harassed. I appreciated that they highlighted this issue as it is often normalized as part of city culture and seen as something that individuals should accept. It also highlights how threatening these alterations can get even when the individual is not engaging or refusing advances.

Conclusion

In particular, it notes that regardless of how a woman is dressed or acts, they can be harassed and sexually objectified. As a society, we should shift away from victim-blaming and address why these acts are viewed as harmless. This, in turn, leads to education on these behaviors and interventions on how to combat them. After seeing this video, I was left conflicted because of the racial bias and noted that the message of the video was not fully getting across as a result. I would be interested in seeing a similar video of street harassment with a male actor as well as different sexual orientations or gender identities. I would also like to see the results of a video like this one with a woman of color. This would also highlight that other groups experience street harassment and the differences between the responses as well as sexual undertones.

References

1. Video Source: Coby Persin. (2014, October 28). 10 Hours of Walking in NYC as a Woman. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1XGPvbWn0A
2. Discussion on Street Harassment and Behavioral Cues: Street Harassment. (n.d.). Stop Street Harassment. https://www.stopstreetharassment.org/
3. Understanding the Impact of Street Harassment:C. J. Brooks, S. M. Cleveland, & S. S. Kamat. (2018). Coping with Street Harassment: Implications for Psychological Well-being. Sex Roles, 78(11-12), 817-828. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-017-0852-5

Introduction

Sexual harassment and assault- the sound of those words alone is repulsive. The action is just as sickening as the sound of the title; as horrible as it sounds, it occurs quite often in the Armed Forces. Both genders are equally capable of being victims and perpetrators. Sexual Assault cases are not new to the Army, as cases have been reported repeatedly for many years, under many different circumstances, and in a variety of environments. It is not confined to a specific occupation, age, gender, or name. So, the questions that arise from this information are natural. Mainly, why does sexual assault keep happening, and how is it eradicated? The truth about sexual assault is it can never really end; however, it can be reduced and, with some change- prevented.

The Complex Nature of Sexual Assault in the Armed Forces

In posing the question, why does sexual assault occur? For most, the answer seems simple. However, that is far from the truth. A variety of reasons contribute to why it happens. One reason involves a poor Chain of Command- sometimes there are threats made to victims to keep them quiet, and sometimes the Chain of Command will sweep it under the rug and forget about it. Another reason for concern is the nature of it being an individual character problem. These individuals lack the moral ethics to think that the entitlement is there to do as they please, with minimal consequence. Often, such individuals do not think about (or care) about the long-term effects it will have on a person. The way Soldiers are taught and educated on the issue does not have a significant enough impact on the individual Soldier.

Ineffectiveness of Current Approaches

The current approach to reduction seems like it is having little to no effect. Training over these matters often consists of hours of sitting through presentations with a representative, speaking in a monotone voice, and reading slide after slide of information. This is a repetitive process that occurs month after month without much change. The consequences are apparent in the statistics; however, the grasp as to how harsh of an indiscretion this is does not seem to be there. Simply, more engagement with the troops allows for more personal investment in the individual troop’s behalves.

These cases are increasing. Between the years of 2016 and 2018, the Army saw a 4.6% to 5.8% increase in cases involving sexual assault- despite the monthly briefings administered. The evidence is clear that it is not stopping or reducing the cases being reported. Considering that those are the only reported cases. Who knows how many go unreported? Change must occur somewhere, somehow.

A way to start making change is to make the briefings more engaging. Victims and perpetrators should be given a chance to speak on this issue, as well as how it affected their individual lives. People need to see real pain to fully grasp the severity of the actions and really feel what those people feel. A grasp needs to be made on how the victims react to situations now because of that one moment in life, as well as how making a poor decision affected the perpetrator for the rest of their life, and how both must live from then on. It may not stop sexual assault, but it is a start.

Conclusion

Sexual assault cannot be fully ended, but the way the troops are reached can evolve and attempt to grasp for better. Maybe a reduction can be seen in cases after making an application of change. Change can start in how cases are handled within a unit-preventing, preventing it from primarily being handled in-house, and in the way troops are trained on the subject. There is a stigma of sexual assault in the Army that must be removed from the prestigious name earned by not only this generation of soldiers but all those who came before.

Works Cited

1. Childress, S. (2013, May 10). Why the Military Has a Sexual Assault Problem. Retrieved February 7, 2020, from https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/why-the-military-has-a-rape-problem/
2. Rempfer, K. (2019, August 21). Sexual assault and suicides are on the rise. Retrieved February 7, 2020, from https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2019/08/21/sexual-assault-numbers-suicides-on-the-rise-clearly-we-have-to-do-something-different-acting-army-secretary-says