Is It Sexual
Harassment?
Directions: Read each of the following statements and
indicate in the blank provided whether it is TRUE or FALSE. Then ask a friend of the opposite gender, or
if you have a job ask your boss, if he/she would respond to the statements. Explain your answers.
You Friend
1. Sexual harassment issues
concern only women in the
workforce. ____ _____
2. Staring at another
employee is not sexual harassment. ____ _____
3. Most claims of sexual
harassment involve requests for
sexual favors in
exchange for something else. ____ _____
4. Policies involving sexual
harassment must include all
employees at all levels of the
organization. ____ _____
5. A sexually explicit picture
or cartoon hanging over an
employee’s workstation may be sexual
harassment. ____ _____
6. Sexual harassment includes
unwanted behavior directed
from one person to another. ____ _____
7. Sexual harassment includes
an unwanted behavior that is
sexual or related to the gender of
the person. ____ _____
8. Sexual harassment of ten
occurs in a situation where one
person has power over another. ____ _____
9. The courts look at sexual
harassment from the view of the
person who is accused. ____ _____
10. For sexual harassment to
occur there must be a victim or
victims. ____ _____
11. One type of sexual
harassment is when there is a hostile
environment in the workplace or an
educational setting. ____ _____
12. Sexual jokes, innuendoes,
and sexually explicit language may
be considered sexual
harassment. ____ _____
13. A hug or a kiss on the cheek
may be considered sexual
harassment. ____ ____
14. Picking lint off someone’s
clothes or rubbing someone’s
shoulder can be considered sexual
harassment. ____ ____
15. “Accidental” repeated
touching may be considered sexual
harassment. ____ ____
16. If a sexual behavior or one
related to gender is repeated and
pervasive, it may then be considered
a problem. ____ ____
17. When supervisors make light
of sexual harassment incidents,
the issues usually resolve
themselves. ____ ____
18. Adults in consensual
relationships cannot later charge
sexual harassment. ____ ____
19. Sexual harassment complaints
should be filed with the
appropriate authority at the time the
incidents occur. ____ ____
20. If an employee is found
guilty of sexual harassment, the
Employer can be held liable. ____ ____
SCORING:
1. False. Sexual harassment issues concern both men and
women in the workforce or
any other setting. Sexual harassment most often occurs between
men and women,
but also occurs between persons
of the same gender. The greatest number of sexual harassment cases are filed with a man
sexually harassing a woman.
2. False. Staring at another employee may be considered
sexual harassment if it is an
unwanted persistent behavior and it
is done in a sexual manner or related to the gender of the other person. This is especially true if the victim feels
the other person has power or authority over them.
3. False. Most court claims of sexual harassment filed
are not concerning requests for
sexual favors in exchange for
something else. The greatest number of sexual harassment cases filed at this time involve
claims of a hostile work environment, meaning that someone’s behavior has
substantially interfered with a person’s education or employment.
4. True. Policies
regarding sexual harassment must include all levels of employees in
the workplace, persons in an
educational setting or any other setting.
No one should
Be exempt from the policy including executive and
administrative personnel.
5. True. A sexually explicit picture or cartoon at an
employee’s workstation may be
considered sexual harassment since it
creates an “intimidating or offensive” educational or work environment.
6. True. There are three elements that define sexual
harassment. Unwanted sexual behavior or
unwelcome sexual harassment since it creates an “intimidating or offensive”
educational or work environment.
7. True. A second element used to define sexual
harassment is an unwanted behavior that is sexual or related to the gender of
the person.
8. True. This is the third element of sexual
harassment. The unwanted behavior occurs
in the context of a relationship where one person has formal or informal power
over the other.
9. False. Sexual harassment is always viewed by the
courts from the victim’s perspective. If
the victim feels the behavior is sexual or related to gender and unwelcome it
may be considered sexual harassment.
10. True. One or more persons must feel there has been
unwanted sexual or gender-based behavior from a person who has power over
them. There is no victim and therefore
no sexual harassment unless someone feels the behavior is unwelcome and sexual
in nature or is related to gender.
11. True. One type of sexual harassment is when a
hostile work environment exists. The
behavior is sexual harassment when it has either the purpose or effect of
“substantially interfering” with a person’s education or employment or the
behavior creates an “intimidating, hostile, or offensive” educational or work
environment.
12. True. Persistent sexual jokes, innuendoes, and
sexually explicit language are types of behavior that can by considered sexual
harassment by creating a hostile environment for an individual or group of
individuals.
13. True. A simple hug or a kiss may be considered
sexual harassment if these behaviors are persistent and unwanted by the victim.
14. True. Picking lint off someone’s clothes or rubbing
someone’s shoulders are potentially sexual harassment. They are considered sexual harassment if they
are unwanted by the victim and continuing behaviors. Touching an employee or anyone in a
subordinate position is a potential problem.
15. True. The courts view unwanted sexual behavior from
the victim’s perspective. Therefore,
although the accused may claim the behavior is accidental, if the unwanted
behavior is sexual in nature and continues it may be considered sexual
behavior.
16. True. A behavior that is sexual in nature or
related to gender and involves one person who has power over another may be
considered sexual harassment. This is
one of the elements definitive of sexual harassment.
17. False. If a complaint of sexual harassment is made,
a supervisor should document and investigate the situation. Complaints of sexual harassment do not
resolve themselves or go away.
18. False. One of the persons involved in a consensual
relationship may feel at some time that he/she has been sexually harassed by
the other person in the relationship. If
this is true, the consensual relationship does not prohibit the victim from
claiming sexual harassment. Consensual
relationships where one person has the authority or power over another are
potential problems. These consensual
relationships often result in claims of sexual harassment. The person in the power position is normally
held liable.
19. True. Complaints of sexual harassment should be
filed with the appropriate authority within and organization at the time they
occur. By documenting the incident when
it happens, there is more information to prove or disprove a claim. Plus,
claims of sexual harassment will not just “go away.”
20. True. If an employee is
found guilty of sexually harassing another employee, the employer can be held
liable for allowing the harassment to occur.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of every business or educational
institution to have a complete Sexual Harassment policy in place and make
certain all employees and executives understand the definition of sexual
harassment.
Interpretation:
Count your total number of correct responses and
write it in the space below.
Total Correct Responses
= ________
If
you had 15 or more correct responses you have a good understanding of the
issues of sexual harassment. A score of
7-14 correct responses indicates you know something about sexual harassment,
but need to do some reading to better understand the issue. A score of 6 or fewer correct responses
indicates you have a lot to learn about sexual harassment. Since this is an issue that effects both men and women you need to learn more about what
sexual harassment is and what to do in case it happens.
Reactions: Use the space provided to respond to the
following questions.
1. Have you ever been sexually harassed by a
person having formal or informal power or
authority over you? Explain the situation. How old were you and how did you handle it at
the time? If it were to happen now,
explain how would you handle it differently.
2. Have you or your friend (who
also responded to this inventory) ever behaved in a
manner or said something that
could be construed as sexual harassment by another person? If so, explain what both of you would do
differently today.