Sexual Harassment in Workplace: Definition, Examples, Identification, and Prevention

This presentation discusses sexual harassment in the workplace, its definition, examples, identification, and prevention. It explains the two forms of sexual harassment, quid pro quo and hostile environment, and the Australian Human Rights Commission's role in preventing it. It also highlights the law against sexual harassment and the role of HR and employees in preventing it.

HARASSMENT IN
WORKPLACE
Presented by-

Sexual harassment
■ Sexual harassment can be defined as
any unwanted or unwelcome sexual
behavior that is offensive, humiliating
and intimidating for a person.
■ Sexual harassment is not consensual, it
is not an interaction, flirtation or
friendship.
■ It is form of sex discrimination (Malhotra
& Srivastava, 2016).

Sexual harassment in workplace
■ Sexual harassment can be performed
through gesture, verbally or non-verbally.
■ Submission or rejection of any unwanted
behavior can be done either implicitly or
explicitly.
■ Submission or rejection of such decisions
are done considering impact on the
employees job.
■ It can have a purpose or it can be

Example of sexual harassment
■ Unwanted touching, texting, gesture by supervisor to subordinate.
■ Harassment by co-workers that is usually based on a hostile work
environment.
■ Unwelcome behavior, notes, letter or suggestions made by the higher
authority to subordinate.
■ Promotion, increment and other offers not on the term of
performance, talent and hard work but for unwanted behavior (Morral,
Gore & Schell, 2015).

Identify sexual harassment
There is no specific way of considering a act as sexual harassment however,
it is important to identify the acts:
Sexual harassment may include:
■ Staring or leering
■ Unnecessary unfamiliarity
■ Insults or taunts
■ Sexually explicit emails or text message
■ Inappropriate advances on social media
■ Any sort of unfamiliar, unwelcomed and unwanted behavior

Two forms of sexual harassment
■ Quid Pro Quo: occurs when an employee submits or rejects
unwelcome sexual advances for the reason of it’s impact on an
employment.
■ Hostile environment: when unwelcome harassment is severe as well
as pervasive

LAW
■ Under the Australian Human Rights Commission, The sex
discrimination act has made it unlawful for any individual to sexually
harass any other person.
■ It includes areas of employment, education, the provision of
accommodation.
■ It is important to increase awareness of and prevent this acts

The Human Rights
■ A person feeling as a victim of sexual
harassment can make a complaint to
the Australian Human rights
Commission.
■ Complain can be done via email or in
writing.
■ The complaint section of the
commission’s website has more option
and information regarding making

Role of HR
■ Immediate action when complaint is received
■ Immediate warming to the employee found
harassing
■ Ensuring safe working environment

Role of employee
■ It is important for employees to make sure the
work floor is safe
■ Every employee needs to make sure the safety
of other employees
■ When such acts found happening in the
workplace, employees should take immediate
action.

Reference:
■ Chavkoska, B. (2016). Sexual Harassment in the Workplace. Women and Sustainability in Business: A
Global Perspective, 143.
■ Lockhart, L. (2016). Sexual harassment in the workplace. Nursing Made Incredibly Easy, 14(6), 55.
■ Malhotra, S., & Srivastava, A. (2016). Sexual harassment at the workplace: how organizations can
pro-actively reduce its incidence. Human Resource Management International Digest, 24(7), 1-3.
■ Morral, A. R., Gore, K. L., & Schell, T. L. (2015). Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in the US
Military. Volume 2. Estimates for Department of Defense Service Members from the 2014 RAND
Military Workplace Study. RAND NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH INST SANTA MONICA CA.