Sexual harassment: What it is and how we can counteract it

Sexual harassment is a form of offensive treatment that can occur in workplaces, schools, online or in everyday life. It can be comments, touches, looks or messages that are experienced as unpleasant and unwelcome. The harassment can have a profound impact on the victim, both psychologically and socially. In this post, we will go through what sexual harassment is, what rights you have and how we can together create safe environments for everyone.

What is sexual harassment?

According to the Discrimination Act, sexual harassment is when someone is subjected to unwelcome sexual behavior that violates the person's dignity. It can include:

• Comments about someone's appearance or body

• Unwanted sexual invitations

• Sexually charged jokes

• Touching or approaching that is perceived as unpleasant

• Dissemination of sexual images or messages

Abusive treatment, bullying and discrimination

Sexual harassment is a form of offensive treatment and can sometimes be part of a pattern of bullying. Bullying can be systematic harassment, exclusion or belittling behaviour that creates an unsafe environment. Discrimination is when someone is treated less favourably because of their gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other protected grounds of discrimination.

Everyone has the right to feel safe at work

Employers have a duty to prevent and address sexual harassment in the workplace. If you are sexually harassed by a colleague, manager or customer, you should be able to report it without fear of retaliation. Companies should have clear policies and procedures for how they deal with harassment and create a culture where everyone feels safe.

What can you do if you are subjected to sexual harassment?

If you are experiencing sexual harassment, there are several things you can do:

1. Set boundaries – State clearly that the behavior is unacceptable.

2. Document the events – Write down what happened, the time and place.

3. Seek support – Talk to someone you trust or contact an organization that can help.

4. Report – Inform the employer, school or other responsible person.

5. Report to the Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) – If the harassment occurs at work or school, you can report it to the DO.

To counteract abusive treatment and bullying

To stop sexual harassment, we must work preventively. This means that we:

• Creates an open and safe culture where it is easy to report harassment.

• Educates employers, teachers and students about what harassment is and how to prevent it.

• Takes all reports seriously and takes prompt action.

• Encourages respectful behavior in workplaces, schools, and online.

Summary

Sexual harassment is a serious form of abusive treatment that can have long-term consequences for the victim.By creating a safer environment, preventing harassment and supporting those at risk, we can work together to create a more equal and respectful society. Wear to Inspire stands for empowerment and justice – we want to inspire a world where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.