Sexual Harassment and Assault

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Nov 26, 2014/ 0 Comments / in General Medical Posts / by
Sexual Harassment and Assault

Sexual Harassment and Assault

Sexual harassment, in simple words, is the act of making unwelcome sexual advances toward a man or woman. It also includes undesirable requests for sexual favors and physical/verbal conduct to which the other person does not give consent.  The conduct is sufficiently persistent and severe enough to create an offensive, hostile, and intimidating learning or working environment for the victim.


Types of Sexual Harassment

  1. Stress & EDHostile environment- The perpetrator exhibits unwelcome, persistent verbal/physical sexual conduct, such as making lewd remarks, inappropriate touching, sexual jokes, creating a hostile environment for the victim. In about 95% of sexual harassment cases, the victim has to tolerate this type of harassment. In most cases, the harasser is a peer of the victim.
  2. Quid pro quo- When a harasser makes it conditional for the victim to provide sexual favors in order to get employment, promotion, or any similar favor in return, such activity is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. Though uncommon, the offensive conduct badly hurts the conscience of the victim and they may suffer from poor concentration at work or studies.
  3. Unwanted physical or sexual advances
  4. Sexual comments or teasing
  5. Pressure, demands
  6. Sexually explicit questions
  7. Display of offensive, sexually explicit material
  8. Physical intrusion in personal space
  9. Graffiti on bathroom walls
  10. Sexually explicit correspondence through text messages, phone calls, emails, or notes

Examples of Sexual Harassment

Variety of Circumstances

  1. Anxiety and EDIn sexual harassment, the perpetrator and victim can be from the same genders. Both can be men or women or from the opposite sex.
  2. The harasser can be a co-worker, supervisor, or a non-employee.
  3. Unlawful sexual harassment may cause physical injury or emotional trauma for the victim.
  4. Fear/anxiety
  5. Drug abuse
  6. Poor concentration at work
  7. Sleeping problems
  8. Debilitating depression
  9. Increased absenteeism
  10. Lower productivity
  11. Less teamwork
  12. Tarnished company reputation
  13. Poor staff morale

Common Physical, Emotional Reactions

Say no in explicit terms if you feel offended from the sexual harassment acts of the perpetrator and the harasser seems to be crossing the limit. If the perpetrator continues with their unacceptable acts, it will help to file a complaint. Don’t forget to keep a copy of all the complaints in writing.


What is Sexual Assault?

Sexual assault is an unwanted sexual activity that involves exhibiting violent, traumatic, coercive, or even life threatening sexual behavior against a person without their consent. The following are a few examples of sexual assault:

  1. Being forced to masturbate
  2. Making inappropriate sexual comments
  3. Being forced to watch other person masturbate
  4. Putting a penis or object into the victim’s mouth, vagina, or anus
  5. Unwanted sexual touching
  6. Being forced to give or receive oral sex – putting a penis into someone’s mouth
  7. Making inappropriate sexual comments
  8. Forcing someone to watch pornography

Sexual harassment is a part of sexual assault, and sexual violence describes sexual abuse and assault.


The victim of sexual assault may feel:

  1. Helpless
  2. Shock or disbelief
  3. Angry
  4. Shame and embarrassment
  5. Guilt and self blame
  6. Fear
  7. Anxious

You may feel unsafe, endangered, and helpless to be alone.