People think there is a fine line between sexual harassment and flirtation, but there's not. Flirtation involves attraction , interest and sometimes a relationship. Sexual harassment involves power, humiliation and degradation. Here are some examples of people who are sexual harassers:
1. If you feel hostile to women working in a "man"s field, like fork lift driver, engineer, coal miner, soldier, you may be on the path to being a sexual harasser.
2. If you ask a co-worker if she wants to sit on your face, you are a sexual harasser. Women are generally not turned on by co-worker statements like that.
3. If you try to fondle a co-worker's boobs, or otherwise fondle her private parts at work, and you are not her boyfriend, you are a sexual harasser.
4. If you spread rumors about a co-worker that she is a slut, loose or has oral sex at work, you are a sexual harasser.
5. If you show a co-worker pornography at work, and she doesn't want to see it, you are a sexual harasser.
6. If you talk to the co-worker and/or other employees about the co-workers private sexual parts, you are a sexual harasser.
7. If you send or show your co-worker photos of your penis, or you pull out your penis at work, you are a sexual harasser.
8. If you tell your co-worker crude and disgusting sexual jokes at work, especially targeting her in front of others (to embarrass her), you are a sexual harasser.
9. If you ask your co-worker about her sex life to embarrass her, or tell her about yours, at work, you are a sexual harasser.
10. If you tell a co-worker that she will be fired, or miss out on raises, or given bad assignments unless she performs sexual acts on you, YOU ARE A SEXUAL HARASSER.
Don't be so insecure that you put women down who threaten you. You can do it! Don't be a sexual harasser. If you are a sexual harasser, you will get it in the end.
Cool...none of that at my workplace! Just accepted dirty jokes from time to time.
ReplyDeleteI'm a 55 y/o male, there are several women in the 25+/-2 age range that talk about their menses routinely. Is that inappropriate?
ReplyDeleteGood pointers, Lynne! It’s quite hard to distinguish the difference between the two subjects. However, there are certain points where sexual harassment varies according to the receptor. I guess it’s always on how it was taken by the one who might be harassed. So for our fellow readers out there, be reminded that it’s always important to gauge a woman’s tolerance with green jokes, so that we could prevent any difficulties in the future. Again, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteChin Angevine
I am a certified licensed massage therapist renting space in a building owned by a lawyer. I was very happy working there until sexual remarks etc. were directed at me by a lawyer starting via text messages soon after I moved into the space. The sexual harassment became obvious to me during a massage I gave him. Contrary to his thinking I was not "that kind" of massage therapist. He had respresented a massage therapist in court previously who was caught doing nonethical acts by an undercover police officer. Why would he do that for a criminal who used his facility to break the law I wondered. Well just goes to show that some men or lawyers think they are above the law and that respect for certain women just doesn't apply. I filed a criminal report but did not choose to prosecute....figured I didn't have much chance. I hadn't kept all records of the harassment. So he thinks he got away with it, although he knows I will never work on him again ! As a lawyer he knew psychologically how to skirt the edge, just enough that a single woman with 4 kids wouldn't be able to win. It was my word against his, a well-respected lawyer owning his own business. So if you are a harasser think about that woman and what you are doing to her, not that you really care since sexual harassment is about power not desire. But what if that was your daughter and someone else was doing to her what you did to me. This is how I'm gonna fight back. Making others aware of how easily they can be a victim of sexual harassment and to sexual harassers just know someday some way people are going to figure you out...who you are and that reputation of yours is going right in the toilet.
ReplyDeleteit happens so often, i've seen it and experienced it in many workplaces. often if the victim complains to management, management looks for ways to get rid of the victim. it's very hard to prove and even so, it's often management's playbook to find a covert way to get rid of the complainer/victim after they complain. apparently, nobody likes a complainer.
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