Sexual harassment in the workplace can be very difficult to define, as it is not always obvious what qualifies as harassment and what does not. It is important to learn the facts before you unknowingly become a victim or stalker. These ten points below will give an idea of ​​the misconceptions about sexual harassment in the workplace.

1. Simply making a suggestive comment can be considered sexual harassment. Signs of harassment include suggestive comments, tests or teasing of a sexual nature, unwelcome physical contact or sexual advances, continued use of offensive language, sexual jokes, boasting of sexual prowess, office or locker room pin-ups, and compliments with sexual connotations.
2. Sexual harassment does not have to occur between two people of the opposite sex; in fact, many cases involve same-sex harassment.
3. Having a sexual harassment policy in place does not no protect a company in lawsuits, although companies with strong and effective anti-harassment policies are less vulnerable to successful lawsuits. Companies must disseminate these policies to employees and provide appropriate training or be legally responsible.
4. If a victim’s patients or clients are the bullies, it still counts. A harasser can be the victim’s supervisor, an agent of the employer, a supervisor in another area, a co-worker, or even a non-employee, such as the doctor’s patients or the customers of a sales representative.
5. Sexual misconduct is no a critical element in sexual harassment lawsuits. In other words, a lawsuit does not have to be based on any actual “sex” that took place.
6. Sexual conduct is only illegal when it is unwelcome, which means that the victim did not request or incite the conduct and the victim viewed the conduct as undesirable or offensive.
7. Anything sent to or found in a shared folder or bookmarked on a public computer, such as offensive websites, inappropriate photos, or tacky emails, could be considered non-traditional sexual harassment or cyberbullying. In terms of US law, both traditional and non-traditional harassment are illegal.
8. Employees who report sexual harassment they are aware of but do not take advantage of company policies or resources designed to prevent or eliminate harassment have much weaker cases than those who do. In fact, the United States Supreme Court rulings emphasize “reasonable behavior” by both employees and employers in harassment cases. For employees, this means taking advantage of the company’s anti-harassment policies.
9. Cases involving male victims are largely unreported. Less than 20% of all cases are presented by men. Researchers believe that this number represents very little of actual incidents in which men are victims.
10. Instead of keeping a distance, a supervisor should always try to negotiate a resolution between the victim and the harasser. If supervisors can deal with a situation immediately and effectively, a costly lawsuit can be avoided.

This ten-point article is designed to help you educate yourself on the lesser-known facts of sexual harassment. By analyzing relevant case studies, we compiled these important facts to convey to employers, trainers, HR representatives, and employees. With these points in mind, sexual harassment in the workplace can be identified and potentially avoided. Because every work environment is different, you need to double-check your own company’s policies and protocols to deal with harassment. Additionally, learning about the laws and regulations in effect in your state will help you stay one step ahead, as anti-bullying laws are constantly evolving.