Sexual Harrassment

Sexual harassment can occur at school, in the workplace and even at home. No matter where it occurs, it is unacceptable and should never be tolerated under any circumstances. Appropriate disciplinary action should be taken in any proven instance of harassment.

WHAT IS SEXUAL HARASSMENT?

Sexual harassment is an unwelcome and uninvited comment, attention, contact or behaviour of a sexual nature, that an individual or witness finds humiliating, offensive or intimidating. It can be verbal, written, or visual.

Examples may include:

• Uninvited touching, patting, pinching, etc
• Uninvited kissing or embracing
• Smutty jokes or comments
• Making promises or threats in return for sexual favours
• Repeated invitations to go out after prior refusal
• Sexual gestures
• Sex-based name-calling, teasing or insults
• Staring or leering at a person or at parts of their body
• Unwelcome physical contact such as massaging or deliberately brushing against them
• Requests for sex
• Sexually explicit conversation
• Offensive phone calls or letters
• Stalking
• Sexual assault or rape
• Indecent exposure

WHAT SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT

Sexual harassment is not behaviour which is based on mutual attraction, friendship and respect. If the interaction is consensual, welcome and reciprocated, it is not sexual harassment.

WHAT YOU CAN DO IF YOU EXPERIENCE SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

• Always tell the person to STOP and say that the behaviour is not appropriate. Make it clear that you are NOT OK with it.
• Find out what the policies about harassment in that environment are. Schools and workplaces have clear procedures that should be followed in the case of a complaint.
• Report the incident to the most appropriate person: school counsellor, human resources manager, your boss, a teacher, a colleague, a friend.
• If there is nobody to report to and/or no action is taken, take the matter to the police.
• Never accept this behaviour.
• Change jobs or circumstances if you have no support and if you are able.
• See a counsellor if you need to talk with someone about the problem and develop some strategies to solve it.
• Talk to family members, friends, teachers, anyone you trust to help you get through it as it can be a tough situation to deal with.
• Remember that you have the right to be respected by others and it is NOT OK for these boundaries to be crossed!