Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
You Don’t Have to Tolerate It. We’re Here to Help.
Even in today’s workplaces, sexual harassment remains a serious and persistent problem — one that can derail careers, silence voices, and take an immense personal toll. Whether it’s subtle or blatant, sexual misconduct is never acceptable, and you don’t have to face it alone.
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment includes unwelcome conduct based on sex or gender, and it comes in many forms, including:
- Unwanted sexual advances or touching
- Sexually suggestive comments or jokes
- Pressure for dates or sexual favors, especially from someone in a position of power
- Offensive remarks about someone’s gender or sexual orientation
- Sexual images, texts, or emails in the workplace
- Retaliation for rejecting or reporting harassment
Sexual harassment falls under the broader category of sexual misconduct, which can also include sexual assault in the workplace. Such misconduct can come from supervisors, colleagues, clients, or even subordinates — and it can affect anyone, regardless of gender or job title.
What Should You Do if You’re Being Harassed?
If you believe you’ve experienced some form of sexual misconduct, you can help protect yourself by being proactive. While not legal advice, below are some steps that generally help individuals to advocate for themselves and feel prepared should they decide to take action.
- Document everything
Save emails, messages, and notes about incidents — these records can be crucial. Your future self will thank you for developing a detailed timeline should you eventually choose to report misconduct. - Review your company’s policies
Become familiar with your employment handbook and any policies on what constitutes discrimination, harassment, and retaliation. Also learn whether your workplace has any process for mediating workplace conflicts before they turn into full-scale disputes or harassment. - Report internally
Many employers have procedures for reporting harassment internally, whether to a manager or supervisor or to human resources. Following those steps, when safe to do so, can strengthen your legal position. If you make a report verbally, make sure to follow up in writing so there is a paper trail. - Don’t wait to get legal guidance
You don’t have to report incidents internally before speaking to an attorney. In fact, an experienced lawyer can help you understand your options and protect yourself before taking action.
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