Sexual Harassment at Work - Essay Example

Sexual Harassment Harassment refers to the unlawful conduct with the purpose of violating the peace of individuals by other individuals. It also includes creating an intimidating and humiliating environment for the individuals by other individuals. There are many forms of harassments that are common in many workplaces such as the following; exclusion, unfair treatment, spreading malicious rumors about the coworkers, threats from management, sexual harassments and misuse of power by supervisors on employee supervision (Johnson). Sexual harassment will be discussed in detail in this paper as one of the main form harassment in workplaces and an issue in human resource management. The topic of sexual harassment helps people understand the reality in workplaces where many individuals face challenges from their coworkers. Sexual harassment is a problem that can face individual of any gender either male or female. By discussing the many cases where sexual harassment has been reported, individuals get knowledge on how to deal with those situations if they happen to them. The topic also helps workers get to know the legal steps to take and also the consequences of such conduct. According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment refers to the unlawful sexual advances that unreasonably affect the performance of the individual in the workplace. The unlawful sexual advances also create a hostile, intimidating and offensive environment. Sexual harassment in the workplace may include inappropriate touching and sexual jokes and comments. Posting sexual messages targeting particular individuals in workplaces adds up to sexual harassment. There are usually two types of sexual harassments that include quid pro quo and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo occurs when a person in authority such as management or supervisory level applies sexual harassment on workers to offer them job favors such as promotions or pay rise. Such harassments may include demanding for kisses from the subordinates and sex in the offices. The individuals, who are at a capacity to hire, fire or even promote the employees usually, demand their juniors sexually to cooperate all they either are fired or miss an opportunity of promotion. On the other hand, hostile work environment refers to the unwelcome and unlawful sexual conduct by employees and other individuals in workplaces. Such behavior may include inappropriate touching, sexual comments, sexual jokes and focusing on those employees who agree to give into sexual activities (“Sexual Harassment”). Summary of the findings The information about this topic is sourced from various scholarly works, journals written by organizations and individuals who have always been against sexual harassment in workplaces. According to the findings of the research, sexual harassment has been happening all over the world, and many countries have risen to form laws to fight and condemn the act. For instance, the United States came up with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which states the prohibition of workers discrimination through acts such as sex. The Act focused on both male and female sexual harassment but was initially formed to curb the women sexual harassment that had spread extensively in the United States. In 1974, the law was applied in a sexual harassment case of Barnes v. Train. The cases described below shows various instances where employees have been sexually harassed by either the people in the management or by their coworkers. Offices have been the most used places by the managers and supervisors to assault their juniors sexually. The colleagues also take advantage of their coworkers to manipulate them and sexually abuse them. Many of the cases go unsolved forcing many victims to work in conditions where they feel oppressed. They fear to be fired from their workplaces thus chose for being silent on the harassment issues. The following cases are some of the most frequent sexual harassment cases known all over the world (Johnson). The first case was the Clarence Thomas Hearings. In 1991, Senate Judiciary Committee held some hearings on a case where a professor of law names Anita Hill claimed she was sexually harassed by Thomas in the office where she used to work as his assistant. She claimed Thomas used to come up with sex-related discussions and displaying sexual materials for her to see. The case made an opportunity for many women who were going through such sexual harassments to voice their complaints. The second case was the Navy Tailhook Scandal. According to the Wall Street Journal, Puopolo was sexually harassed by men when she was walking down the hallway. She claimed the men touched her sexually and pinched her until she fell to the ground. They did this because she had complained of the condition at her workplace (Johnson). The third case was the Jenson v. Eveleth Taconite Co. In 1975, Jenson who was working in an iron mine in Minnesota suffered harassments together with other women from men who believed women were supposed to remain back at home while the men were working. She claimed one of the supervisors followed her with sexual expectations until she could no longer persevere. She filed a lawsuit though it was hard for her to get a lawyer to represent her because the men could not accept to see their fellow men persecuted. After the case had been settled, the company had to pay Jenson and her fellow women $3.5million. It was the first sexual harassment case to end with an action in the United States. The fourth case was about Senator Bob Packwood. A number of women complained about the conduct of Senator Bob Packwood. It was in 1995 when Packwood resigned from his seat after women complained through The National Organization for Women websites that he sexually abused them. The chair of ethics committee said that United States could not tolerate the conduct and Packwood had to resign. Finally, it was the case on David Letterman, who was television host. According to one female employee, David used to abuse her and other coworkers sexually. The female workers used to be vulnerable because they believed the relationships were beneficial to them until they came to realize it was a form of harassment (Johnson). The Association of Women for Action and Research AWARE carried a research in Singapore 1n 2008 to find out the statistics on sexual harassment in workplaces. The vice was so common in Singapore though it was being done in a hidden manner making it difficult for the government to fight the issue. According to their findings, 272 workers out of the 500 workers had experienced some form of sexual harassment. 79% of these were females while the males were 21%. 27% of the 272 workers were sexually harassed by their workmates while 17% were sexually harassed by the people in the management and supervisory level. Some of the victims were threatened with being fired if they did not cooperate with the people in management. The victims knew where and who to report to, but they due to fear they could not dare take steps to report the harassers (“Workplace Sexual”) Legal implications of sexual harassment Sexual harassment has very stiff legal implications on the harassers and the companies where such acts happen. Federal laws state that employees in workplaces are entitled to a safe workplace with no sexual harassment. The laws have, therefore, come up with implications that include criminal suits according to the laws and conviction. Other consequences include the harassers paying compensation fees to the victims and the lawyer`s fee. The victims may have paid the lawyers the representation fees, and therefore they must be compensated. Any other financial damage that may have been caused by the harassers has to be compensated (“Sexual Harassment”). Ethical implications of sexual harassment The moral consequences of harassment range from the victims and the companies they work in. Sexual harassment leads to discrimination in workplaces. This usually happens when the victim declines the harasser`s opinion of sexual favors. Sexual harassment may result to firing of some employees by the seniors in management thus rendering them jobless. The harassers also risk being sucked from their workplaces because of such conducts. Most of the victims of sexual harassment feel violated because they are turned into sexual objects that are used by the harassers for their pressures. Due to discrimination in workplaces caused by a decline to sexually giving in, the affected workers become less motivated and cannot deliver in their workplaces. This may result in their exit from their workplaces (Buchanan & Fitzgerald, 137). Conclusion Harassment is a vice that has for many years been prevalent in workplaces where it is used by many people to show how powerful they are. Sexual harassment has been the most common form of harassment taking place in many workplaces. Considering the many sexual harassment cases that have happened in the world, its apparently clear that its a worldwide issue with all the sectors of the government to private sectors. Both males and females are victims of sexual harassment although women are more vulnerable due to their weak nature. Sexual harassment has both legal and ethical consequences that are obvious very negative with adverse results. Recommendations To curb sexual harassments in workplaces, the following recommendations must be put into action. Firstly, the management should create a strategy to eradicate sexual harassment in its workplaces and ensure there is a high level of commitment. Secondly, the organizations should come up with sexual harassment policies that contain the guidelines concerning the legal implications on harassers. Thirdly, organizations should enlighten their employees on the dangers of sexual harassment in workplaces. This will make them aware of the consequences and repercussions of committing sexual harassment crimes. Finally, organizations should ensure their workplaces are safe for the workers. They should ensure no sexually suggestive materials and writings are found in the premises. They should also ensure workers behave in manners that do not act as sexual harassment to their fellows (“Effectively Preventing”). Work Cited Buchanan, NiCole T., and Louise F. Fitzgerald. "Effects of racial and sexual harassment on work and the psychological well-being of African American women." Journal of occupational health psychology 13.2 (2008): 137. Johnson, Lisa C. “6 Famous Cases of Sexual Harassment”. 2010. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Effectively Preventing and Responding To Sexual Harassment: A Quick Guide (2008), Australian Human Rights Commission. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Sexual Harassment at Work: Legal Issues, The Law, Remedies, and Damages. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Workplace Sexual Harassment: Statistics, 2015. Web. 3 April 2015. Sexual Harassment at Work - Findlaw. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Sexual Harassment. 2015. Web. 3 Apr. 2015. Read More