What is sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is behaviour of a sexual nature that serves to frighten and intimidate the person on the receiving end. Sexual harassment can be ongoing for some time; or can involve only one incident.
By its nature sexual harassment works to undermine the victims confidence, belittle them to peers and colleagues and cast doubt in their own minds. Trust your feelings. Take action.
Sexual harassment can occur in many forms such as:
- Verbal abuse (inappropriate, intimidating, humiliating, or degrading remarks of a sexual nature)
- In visual or written form (as abusive e mails, pin ups on a wall, or something sent in the post)
- Repeated unwelcome touch that feels invasive or uncomfortable.
- Touch that is clearly offensive to you, this can involve touching of breasts or genital areas.
- Manipulating, pressuring or forcing a person to have sexual contact in return for employment, promotion, or other rewards.
- Sexual harassment can often be minimised by the harasser, for example by disguising it as a joke.
Remember Sexual harassment does not only occur in the workplace, it can happen in any number of other settings. Both women and men can be sexually harassed. Harassers can be men or women, and harassers are not necessarily of the opposite sex. There can be more than one harasser, and more than one person affected by the incident.
Effects of Sexual Harassment
As with any form of sexual violence or abuse, sexual harassment can have very serious effects on your life.
A. With sexual harassment, when it occurs in the workplace, there can be economic effects, and / or effects on the person's career, which can have repercussions even in years to come.
B. There can be psychological, emotional, and physiological effects. People who are being harassed live in constant fear, which can cause symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
If you are being sexually harassed
If you are experiencing any of the forms of harassment listed above, and you feel frightened or confused by what is happening to you, then believe and trust your own feelings. Do not minimise it, or hope it will 'just go away'. It might not. Sometimes harassment starts out with relatively 'small' acts, and then builds up into actual assault. If you have any physical symptoms which you attribute to the harassment, go to a doctor who will listen and take you seriously. The Centre will be able to put you in touch with a good doctor. Next, tell someone you can trust about what is happening to you. If the person does not take you seriously, talk to someone who will. You deserve support.
It is important to break the isolation that harassers induce with their behaviour-
TALK TO SOMEONE
Stopping the harassment: Your options:
- Confront the harasser with the support of your work colleagues, or someone you've confided in. Tell them to stop their behaviour.
- Decide whether to take further action if they do not stop.
Remember that your safety and well being is your first priority
- Complain to your employer or the person in charge. Many organisations have a policy on professional misconduct and harassment, or an internal complaints procedure.
- Take a case via the Equality Authority (for further information see www.equality.ie)
- Take a civil proceeding, ask a good solicitor for advice. The Centres will be able to give you a contact for a good local solicitor.
- Take a criminal case, which means reporting to the Gardai www.garda.ie
- The Centre can provide you with support and further information.
- Contact your union who will have policies on sexual harassment,