What is sexual harassment at work?


A look, word, or action of a sexual nature that is not consensual is considered sexual harassment labor.

According to the industrial psychologist, Odeliza Mera, the action (verbal, physical or non-verbal) that crosses the line and becomes harassment are all those that are not reciprocated, that are unpleasant for the victim and that offend.

Workplace Harassment

The Workplace Harassment and the sexual harassment at work are not the same: the first refers to situations in which an iindividual is subjected to persecution. This type of harassment usually seeks to harass, limit and psychologically pressure another individual.

East Workplace Harassment It can be carried out by one or several people and according to the specialist: “The actions can be aimed at preventing the victim from communicating, ignoring the worker, disqualifying the work or not recognizing their successes, attacking them and criticizing them both on work and personal issues.”

Actions that fuel workplace bullying

  • Limit employment relationships.
  • Spreading rumors behind the worker’s back.
  • Block lines of communication with peers.
  • Deprive you of relevant information for the performance of your work.
  • Ridicule and make fun of physical aspects.
  • Ridicule him and make fun of his religious beliefs.
  • Ridicule and make fun of him and his lifestyle.
  • Entrusting work within impossible deadlines.
  • Assign tasks for which the worker is not qualified.
  • Discredit your performance.

“In order to be considered workplace harassment or mobbing, it must meet the criteria of frequency and duration. This criterion establishes that it must occur at least once a week for a minimum of six months. With this time and frequency, harmful consequences for health can be generated. metal, physical and social of the worker” Odeliza Mera Smart Prevention Representative

sexual harassment at work

The sexual harassment at work is all conduct of a sexual nature (verbal, physical, and non-verbal) that not be consensual by the person who receives it, which is offensive and violates the dignity of the worker, explains Odeliza.

These actions cannot be sporadic to be considered sexual harassment. According to the occupational conduct professional to talk about sexual harassment at work At least three elements must occur consecutively in time:

  • Request or proposal of a libidinous nature referring exclusively to sex and without an affective nature.
  • Rejection, which does not necessarily have to be immediate.
  • Persistence, if the rejection and displeasure is known, and despite the rejection, actions continue to be insisted on.

Types of sexual harassment

According to the occupational behavior specialist, there are two types of sexual harassment at workone differs from the other by hierarchy or by intention, but all refer to the sexuality of the victim.

  • Sexual harassment by blackmail or exchange (quid pro quo): This is characterized by being carried out by workers with a higher hierarchy than others (whether women or men). This harassment directly or indirectly conditions the promotion, maintenance of work to the sexual proposal. This can be explicit, when the proposal is clear, direct and implicit, or indirect, when the proposal is more subtle and is only hinted at.
  • Hostile Work Environment Harassment: This occurs when the victim suffers an intimidating or humiliating work environment, with comments and offenses of a sexual nature, including persistent and serious jokes, rude comments about the intimate life of the worker. For example, suggestions for him to wear suggestive clothes, to wear feminine clothes or on the contrary to have a more masculine appearance.

“The harasser or sexual harasser can be a hierarchical superior, a client, a supplier or a co-worker. Men and women can be victims of sexual harassment. Although the statistics place women workers as the main victims of sexual harassment”, says Odaliza.

Recommendations for victims

For the specialist, it is advisable to set clear and direct limits, communicating your displeasure and disapproval to the harasser.

Although it is true that this is the best wall to stop harassment, it can also happen that this aggression becomes sexual harassment a Workplace Harassment or mobbing, since here the harasser can use intimidating actions to force his victim to give in or unload his frustration for not getting what he wants.

Setting limits from the beginning is not always possible and will depend on other variables that intervene, which can prevent the victim from being able to face the situation correctly.

“The victim may feel afraid and ashamed to speak and therefore feel a state of helplessness,” says the expert. In this case, it is important for the victim to talk to a trusted person inside and outside the organization and seek guidance.

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The industrial psychologist Odeliza Mera. (EXTERNAL SOURCE)

What can companies do against harassment?

Companies (public and private) can take preventive action against harassment. One way to deal with the issue is to create policies from scratch sexual harassment or labor.

  • Design training and communication programs so that all workers are aware of conduct that is not permitted in the organization.
  • Guidance on what to do if you witness bullying.
  • Carry out sensitization and awareness campaigns on the subject.
  • Setting actions are considered as sexual harassment.
  • Conduct special training for supervisors and managers.
  • Create mechanics for the complaint, guaranteeing the confidentiality and intimacy of the complainant.
  • Design investigation protocols for complaints and establish in a clear and knowledgeable manner all the sanctioning measures for incurring in this type of action.

Workplace harassment: an occupational risk

In the field of occupational health and safety, the Workplace Harassment It is considered as a psychosocial occupational risk, in that sense in Regulation 522-06 it is established that the employer has the moral and ethical obligation to intervene any risk identified in the workplace, even if it is not contemplated in the regulation, therefore, the Employers must consider this risk in their prevention programs.

Myths of sexual harassment at work

The specialist explains that many people, regardless of their sex or sexual orientation, do not accuse their perpetrator for fear of losing their job, not receiving support or for fear of exposing and questioning their sexual life.

  • Myth: “Women always make public complaints against people of hierarchy of sexual harassmentthey are false accusations with the intention of obtaining economic benefits.”
  • Myth: “Men have an irrepressible sexual instinct, and for that reason they can make sexual advances to any woman.
  • Myth: “Women are to blame for being harassed for being provocative.”

“All these myths are false and obey a macho culture that seeks to justify these discriminatory and violent actions,” says the industrial psychologist.

Source-www.diariolibre.com