Although the law has made it clear that any type of unwanted sexual behavior in the form of physical contact or advances, demands or requests for favors, making comments with sexual overtones, showing pornography, etc., are included in the activities that amount to harassment sexual harassment , it is often difficult to determine whether a particular act or conduct amounts to sexual harassment or not. So whether an act constitutes this type of harassment depends or not on the circumstances.
Signs that you are suffering from sexual harassment
The following is an indicative list of conduct that could be considered sexual harassment:
1. Unwanted sexual advances or advances
If a person makes any gestures or talks of a sexual nature to someone, suggesting some kind of sexual relationship, then that person is said to be making sexual advances. There may also be physical contact. For example, if a male employee blows into the employee’s ear or passionately touches or strokes her neck, the employer is said to be making sexual advances.
2. Offering employment benefits in exchange for sexual favors
People continue to use this tactic to obtain sexual favors from employees. Mainly because a person may be in desperate need of a job or money. Employers offer a bonus or a raise or promotion to a higher position if the employer’s sexual wishes are met.
3. Look suggestively
Looking at anyone suggesting sexual nuances is the most common street sexual harassment faced by women and girls. Physical contact is not present here. E.g. At a bus stop, a man looks at a girl continuously with a lewd (lustful) look on his face.
4. Make sexual gestures
Making sexual gestures is another type of sexual harassment that is mainly seen on the streets. The author makes gestures that are sexual in nature. In general, there is no physical contact present. E.g. ‘A’ looks at a girl, sticks out her tongue and acts as if she is licking something in the air or makes a circle with the thumb and index finger of one hand and in that circle, repeatedly insert and pull out either finger in her other hand.
5. Showing sexually suggestive objects or pictures
Showing any explicit sexual content such as photos, videos, cartoons, calendars, posters, etc., through any means to another person, is subject to sexual harassment.
6. Make derogatory comments
Making any specific observations or comments about a person’s body or clothing, a sexually suggestive observation, epithets or jokes are all a form of sexual harassment. E.g. ‘A’ addresses ‘B’ as ‘attractive’ even after being told not to, or a comment like ‘you look sexy / sexy in shorts’ can all qualify as sexual harassment.
7. Written communications of a sexual nature
Any written communication, whether distributed in hard copy or through an electronic device, that contains obscene statements, propositions, or invitations to engage sexually with the message distributor or anyone else constitutes sexual harassment.
8. Physical behaviors such as unwanted touching, assaulting, blocking movements
Physical conduct such as an unwanted touching, assault, or blocking the way, are sexual harassment in situations where the person exhibiting such conduct is in a dominant position, such as the boss in the office or a person stronger than the victim such as the vandals in the street are. It is accompanied by physical contact. E.g. ‘A’ the boss strokes or pulls B’s hair; ‘A’ a co-worker touches B’s chest; ‘A’ puts his palm against the hallway wall and extends his hand to prevent ‘B’ from going in one direction.
9. Making or threatening retaliation after a negative response to sexual advances
When the perpetrator of sexual harassment threatens (or does) his victim or advances with consequences such as suspension from work or assault or defamation, or death or serious harm; Such conduct qualifies as sexual harassment and constitutes your own individual crimes. E.g. ‘A’ writes a letter to ‘B’ seeking sexual favors and in B’s rejection ‘A’ attacks ‘B’ or threatens to attack ‘B’; ‘A’ often touches and rubs B’s sexual parts and threatens her with harmful consequences if ‘B’ complains about it to anyone.
10. Harassment on the street
This is street harassment, mostly, towards women and occurs in many places, such as public parks, buses, etc. It can include any form of offensive sexual act such as pulling on the girl’s shoulders, making sexually suggestive comments such as strange noises, brushing her body, or groping her. Usually includes a physical threat.
11. Sexually colored remarks, hisses, stares, sexually biased and obscene jokes
Any type of comment with sexual overtones or obscene jokes constitutes sexual harassment, it is not necessary for the comment to be direct and obvious. In most cases, the observation made is indirect, for example, in the form of sexual advances or jokes about sex, of which the person is not the subject, but is intended or directed at that person. It also includes whistling, hello, booing, staring, or any act that embarrasses the person.
12. Subtle innuendo or overt provocations regarding the physical appearance of a person’s body or shape
Commenting on or making fun of someone about their body or appearance is also sexual harassment, be it in the perfection, imperfection or any of the characteristics of their body.
13. Name calling based on gender and / or sexist comments
Some name-calling based on gender or sexist comments fall under sexual harassment. It can be anything from honking the horn or yelling any obscene comment or calling her a slut, a slap, a bitch, an idiot, etc.
14. Displaying pornographic or other offensive or derogatory sexual material
Displaying any type of pornographic or other material that sexually offends the viewer is sexual harassment. E.g. ‘A’ sends ‘B’ several pornographic images to his cell phone.
15. Insistent and forced dating invitations
While asking someone out on a date in general can be considered decent, it can turn nightmare if requests persist despite refusal. It is about sexual harassment of the person. E.g. ‘A’ the employer asks ‘B’ to have the employee go out with him on a date and ‘B’ refuses, ‘A’ then tells him that he would fire her from her job or that he would not give her the promotion she deserves if she did not submits to their demands.
16. Forced physical touching or physical attack or harassment
If a person touches another person, and the person being touched stops them and yet that contact persists, then it is sexual harassment. E.g. ‘A’ caresses ‘B’ to what ‘B’ refuses and in such a denial ‘A’ hits her.
17. Physical confinement against our will and any other act that may violate privacy
Confine someone against their will or participate in any act that violates or may violate one’s privacy. E.g. lock someone in a room; secretly listen to someone’s conversations; entering someone’s locker room without permission.
The above are the general situations that would cover incidents of sexual harassment. If you encounter any such conduct, you should take appropriate action immediately, including filing a complaint with the police.