Sexual Harassment at work: How does it impact victims and organizations?
Christine Blasey Ford’s accusation of US Supreme Court Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault in September 2018 is not uncommon. The #MeToo movement made it clear that behaviours like unwanted sexual contact, coercion, bawdy comments, and improper advances are common in the workplace, in social situations, in schools, in sport teams, and even in religious institutions. Ford noted that the alleged encounter haunted her for decades and affected her academically and socially. Similarly, the effects of sexual harassment can take a toll on survivors’ health and well being and can last a long time.
Sexual Harassment: An Overview
Sexual harassment usually occurs when unwanted sexual comments, gestures or actions are aimed at people because of their actual or perceived gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Although workplace sexual harassment has received the most attention, sexual harassment occurs in public transportation and in other public areas, in educational and athletic settings, in homes, at social gatherings, and even in online groups. Sexual harassment can happen in any way, including face-to-face interactions, through phone calls, or text, on social media or e-mail, through the display of materials or objects, or by tempering with personal territories and belongings.
The explosion of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, as well as stories and recollections from victims and survivors, show the toll sexual harassment can have on mental and physical health. Sexual harassment causes pain and suffering. For victims, sexual harassment is annoying, offensive, upsetting, humiliating, intimidating, embarrassing, stressful, and frightening. Sexual harassment can also result in emotional and physical abuse and stress related mental and physical illness when it dehumanizes, diminishes and disempowers its victims. Victims are also at risk for weight/shape concerns, negative body image, eating disorder and a decreased sense of safety.
Sexual harassment can come in three forms:
Gender harassment: improper sexual verbal and non verbal behaviours, like degrading attitudes about one’s gender, gender identity or sexual orientation. It also includes obscene sexual gestures, flashing, displaying sexual images or objects at work, e-mailing or texting sexual images to a peer or coworker.
Unwanted sexual attention: includes unwanted touching, such as grabbing, groping, pinching, intentionally brushing up against another in a sexual way, spreading rumours about a person, making suggestive or positive or negative comments about a person’s body and electronically sharing sexualized images of a person. Repeated requests for a kiss, a date or sex and attempted or completed rape are also considered unwanted sexual attention.
Sexual Coercion (Quid pro quo): refers to requiring sexual contact or sexual favours as a way of receiving rewards or benefits, such as employment, promotion or a favourable work conditions. This form of sexual harassment may be the most serious and least common but when it happens over time, it can create ongoing stress and trauma that is damaging to well-being.
Some theories have been proposed to explain why sexual harassment occurs.
One is the evolutionary perspective. This is a biological perspective that propose that male’s biological susceptibility to mate and widely reproduce drives them to their sexual harassment of females. Thus, sexual harassment is supposed to indicate male’s sexual need but is mistaken by women uninterested in a sexual encounter. This theory is problematic and lacks support. Unwanted sexual attention may arise out of men’s sexual interest but this is not to be true for women who sexually harass. This theory also does not consider other forms of sexual harassment like sexual coercion and gender harassment.
Another perspective is the vulnerable victims perspective that explains why boys and men are more likely to be perpetrators, while women and girls are more likely to be victims. This theory proposes that people in low sociocultural power and status (like women and racial and sexual minorities) and those with low organizational power are more likely to be sexually harassed by those with greater power.
Additionally, the person-situation perspective suggest that personal predisposing factors (such as hostile sexist attitudes, endorsement of traditional masculine ideology, low empathy and conformity to traditional masculine norms) align with situational factors (organizational tolerance, male dominant cultures, sexually objectifying environments) to determine if sexual harassment occurs.
Whatever the reason for sexual harassment, the fact remains that it has long lasting effects on the mental and physical health of victims. Ultimately, sexual harassment can result in:
- Depression and anxiety
Unwanted sexual advances or commentary can stick with victims, and if it happens repeatedly, could affect a person’s mood and mental health. This may be especially true when the perpetrator is someone the victim works with. Victims feel ashamed, dirty, or scared and this will make them isolate from society, from friends and from family. Indeed, any underlying depression or anxiety can get worse, and could even lead to self harm or self injury.
- Poor self-esteem and body image
Perpetrators of sexual harassment tend to exert power over the victim, whether it is a boss, a mentor, or someone with more money or higher stature. This can result in the victim having low self esteem and body image even if the comments or behaviours are complimentary on the surface. Moreover, unwanted sexual attention can make existing body image and self esteem issues worse.
- Loss of appetite and disordered eating
High levels of stress due to sexual harassment can lead to loss of appetite, and consequently weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and related health risks. Problems with body image and self esteem often accompany disordered eating. This is true for both male and female victims of sexual harassment.
- Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Victims can suffer PTSD, which could include anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks, and visceral physical reactions like headaches, stomach problems, and teeth grinding. Their stress response could be working over time, meaning they are more likely to react to something that would not be threatening to someone without the same history.
- Career problems
Harassment at work can hinder a person’s chances of advancement and their motivation to achieve more, which can have professional and financial consequences in the long run. Harassment in the workplace creates an intimidating, hostile, abusive or offensive environment that diminishes victims’ confidence and makes it harder to achieve. When victims leave jobs because of sexual harassment, it may negatively affect career advancement due to the loss of seniority and organizational specific work skills, difficulty in explaining gaps in enjoyment and trouble obtaining references from managers and coworkers.
Sexual harassment also negatively impacts the organization
The legal and financial costs from sexual harassment cases could hamper a company’s reputation. Job and career dissatisfaction, reduced organizational commitment, increased absenteeism, job turnover, job burnout, requests for transfers, and decreased work motivation and productivity are just some of the ways sexual harassment can impact an organization.
If you are being sexually harassed at work, there are a few steps you can take:
- Document any quid pro quo
- Document any comments and different treatment you receive
- Keep your notes private and in a safe place
- Gather your evidence
- Report the harassment at work
- Find a good lawyer
- Leave the workplace if nothing is done about your complaint
Employers can also take steps to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace:
- Encourage a culture of diversity and a workplace environment free of discrimination, harassment and retaliation
- Publicly announce to employees that the company will not tolerate discrimination, harassment or retaliation
- Establish and implement an effective complaint procedure, which encourages employees and others to come forward and make complaints without fear of retaliation
- Train employees on how to use the anti-discrimination and harassment policy
- Ensure employees know what violates the policy and how to complain
- Train managers, supervisors and executives on how to recognize discrimination and harassment and what to do if they receive complaints or otherwise learn about policy violations
- Ensure managers, supervisors and executives understand and analyze every complaint
- Every act of discrimination or harassment should be reported up the chain
- Communicate any decision made to both the person who complained and the accused. If the investigation yields no violation, give reasons
Moving on after being sexually harassed at work could be difficult. You may feel stuck or hopeless in your situation. But there are some things you can do to help you heal from the experience.
Accept what happened
Do not minimize what happened or make excuses for the perpetrators. Allow yourself feel the emotions and find healthy ways to express these feelings, like yoga or other stress-related activities.
Do not blame yourself
You should not feel guilty or ashamed for what happened. The only guilty person is the perpetrator. Do not blame yourself, as blaming yourself will slow the healing process. Focus on the fact that you have complete control over how you move on and let that empower you.
Use your experience to help others
You could write a blog about what you have experienced and offer suggestions on how to deal with it. Join a support group or a non profit organization that addresses sexual harassment. The key is taking a negative experience and turning it into something positive. Doing so helps build your resiliency.
Talk to a professional
If you find it difficult moving on after such experience, you may benefit from seeing a counsellor who specializes in dealing with workplace issues. Talk to a professional outside your workplace, and if needed, let it be someone far from the place of the incident.
Here at PAT Consulting Nigeria, we help individuals deal with these and other issues. If you are dealing with this, or if your company is experiencing sexual harassment cases, you can begin to address it. All you need are an open mind and sheer will to create the environment you deserve to work in. Send an email to info@patnigeria.com or visit www.patnigeria.com .
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