Sexual Harassment

It’s any unwanted and repeated behaviour of a sexual nature. Gender is one of the 9 Protected Characteristics that are legally safeguarded by the Equality Act. So any unwanted or prejudiced behaviour that’s directed at someone because of their sex is a form of discrimination.

Sexual harassment can be split into many different specific categories, but generally, they are split into 3 – verbal, non-verbal, and physical. Some examples of these types of sexual harassment are: Verbal Harassment This may involve sexually suggestive comments or questions. For example, making comments on your body image, appearance, or name-calling. Sexual Jokes If someone is making sexual jokes whether they are aimed at you or not, if they make you feel offended or intimidated then this would count as sexual harassment. Sexual Advances These unwanted advances are a form of sexual harassment. This includes ‘leering’ or unwanted sexual propositions through any form of communication (phone, email, or face-to-face). Sexual Images Displaying sexual, explicit or pornographic images may cause offence to others. Other forms might include making conditions of employment dependent on sexual favours, requests of sexual favours, exposing oneself in front of others, or discussing relations, stories, or fantasies in the workplace

Sexual assault is different from sexual harassment. The Met Police state that “The overall definition of sexual or indecent assault is an act of physical, psychological and emotional violation in the form of a sexual act, inflicted on someone without their consent. It can involve forcing or manipulating someone to witness or participate in any sexual acts.”

Yes, see our YouTube page for scenarios of possible sexual harassment from our Sexual Harassment Awareness course The Equality & Human Rights Commission also provide some situational examples of sexual harassment:

• A person imitates a sexual act at work that makes a colleague feel degraded.
• An employer asks one of her workers if the worker is having sex with his boyfriend, which intimidates and humiliates him.
• A hotel manager propositions one of his workers. She rejects his advances and he then refuses her a promotion.
• An employee has had a relationship with his boss. When the employee ends the relationship, his boss spreads rumours about his sexual preferences at work.
• A shop assistant is repeatedly subjected to comments about her appearance by a customer. The shop owner does not take any steps to prevent the situation from happening again.