...Sexual Harassment in the Workplace EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN IN THE HEALTH SECTOR Paramita Chaudhuri Health and Population Innovation Fellowship Programme Working Paper, No. 1 This report is the result of a project entitled “Understanding Sexual Harassment in the Health Sector,” undertaken as part of the Health and Population Innovation Fellowship (HPIF) awarded to the author in 2004. The HPIF programme is administered by the Population Council, New Delhi and is a continuation of the MacArthur Foundation’s Fund for Leadership Development (FLD) fellowship programme that continued over the period 1995 to 2004. The Council is grateful to the MacArthur Foundation for its support to this programme. The HPIF programme aims to support mid-career individuals who have innovative ideas, leadership potential, and the capacity to help shape policy and public debate in the field of population, reproductive health and rights in general, with a focus on two priority themes – maternal mortality and morbidity, and the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people. Since the transfer of the programme to the Population Council through 2006, a total of 17 individuals have been supported under the HPIF programme. For additional copies of this report, please contact: Paramita Chaudhuri Senior Programme Officer Sanhita 89B Raja Basanto Roy Road Kolkata 700 029 Email: sanhita@cal.vsnl.net.in Phone: 033-24227965 Population Council Zone 5A, Ground Floor India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road...
Words: 12061 - Pages: 49
...[pic] [pic] Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Practical Training Paper-V) Essay submitted by Vidya R John 1st Year LLB, 2nd Semester Sexual Harassment at Work Place [pic] It all began when Bhanwari Devi, a saathin or village-level worker in Bateri in Rajasthan's Bassi tehsil took a stand, risking her life and her family's, showing extraordinary courage in the face of a social boycott after five men raped her in 1992 when she tried to stop a child marriage. But she stood her ground. The incident changed her life and shaped the women's movement in Rajasthan. The most frightening part was that the heinous crime was committed to teach Bhanwari Devi a lesson for exposing a child marriage in the village. The five accused took it almost like a challenge to hurt Bhanwari Devi. 18 years on, Bhanwari Devi’s fight for justice continues. But after that day on September 22, 1992, the movement managed one significant victory, the Vishakha judgment of August 1997. The verdict, on a PIL filed by Vishakha and four other women's groups in Rajasthan against the State and the Union of India, provided the basic definitions of sexual harassment at the workplace and also laid down guidelines for dealing with it. Sexual Harassment affects all women in some form or the other. Lewd remarks, touching, wolf-whistles, looks are part of any woman’s life, so much so that it is dismissed as...
Words: 2023 - Pages: 9
...Sexual Harassment at workplaces Introduction Cases of sexual harassment at the places of work have been on the rise especially over the recent past. Sexual harassment is one of the most exploitive behaviors where power has been misused to victimize others at the places of work by those who hold superior positions in organizations (Shrier, 1996). Sexual harassment can occur to both men and women but more often than not, women are the victims. According to Boland (2002), a research conducted in the 1970s revealed that approximately one out of every two women would become a victim of sexual harassment at her place of work. The vice makes one feel disrespected, humiliated, or offended. Forms of sexual Harassment Such conduct is either expressed implicitly or explicitly, a term or condition to one’s employment. Rejection of such conditions by the victim may be used as the basis for employment decision affecting him or her. The purpose of such behavior could also be aimed at creating a hostile and intimidating work environment for the victim (Achampong, 1999). Sexual harassment can be of quid pro quo i.e. something for something or ‘a hostile environment’ in nature. In both cases, the conduct is unwelcome. In most cases the quid pro quo involves a senior person who has power to make decisions on an employee, depending on whether he or she submits to their sexual demands. On the other hand, a hostile environment is established when the working environment is offensive and intimidating...
Words: 1224 - Pages: 5
...Sexual harassment can be defined as a form unwelcome verbal, visual or physical conduct of a sexual nature that can be described as being severe or pervasive in nature. It is a discrimination against sex which violates Title VII articulated in The Civil Rights Act of 1964. This federal law formally forbids any discrimination in employment on the basis color, race, sex, religion or national origin and employers with 15 or more employees are restricted under this law. The overall effects of such activities at places of work are that they cause a hostile working environment which means that they directly affect working conditions of most workers. Sexual harassment can be able to take place anywhere beginning from schools, universities and places of work. There is a verb small difference between occasional unwanted sexual advances and comments that people thing that they might be deemed inappropriate. Sexual harassment can really affect the way your employees approach all that you are doing. The main focus of this research paper will be on the status of sexual harassment at places of work in the United States. The research paper will be able to investigate the current state of sexual harassment in the workplace in the United States. As it stands at the moment, there is no specific cause of sexual harassment at the place of work. Although there is this notion that sexual harassment is mainly caused by provocative dressing or enticing behaviors by the victims, high chances are that...
Words: 2848 - Pages: 12
...DEFINING THE TWO TYPES OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT Abstract This paper is an analysis of the two types of sexual harassment as defined by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. It examines Quid Pro Quo harassment and a hostile working environment and how it affects leadership, employees and the atmosphere in the work place. It will define the victim’s rights and the consequences the offender may face. Finally, it reveals methods that can be used to prevent harassment in the work place. History showed the need for legislatures to enact new laws to help employees and employers defend themselves from sexual harassment suits. When the federal law prohibiting sexual harassment in the workplace was enacted in 1964, it made certain that employers were responsible for preventing and stopping sexual harassment in the work place. The law, definition and preventive measures made it possible for employees to defend themselves and retain their jobs. Employers have defended themselves and employees alike by enacting policies and procedures that define and interpret sexual harassment and what constitutes an offense. Conclusions based on the research of literature regarding sexual harassment indicate that after years of defining harassment, creating laws and policies, evidence shows that harassment is still a factor in the work place. Sexual advances, and hostile work environments still exist and employees are looking towards management to provide them...
Words: 1833 - Pages: 8
...Kendra Ballard BUS 259.0001 April 19, 2015 Executive Summary Sexual Harassment, Workplace Romance According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. Harassment does not have to be of sexual nature but can also include offensive remarks about a person’s sex. Sexual harassment claims are becoming more popular as years go by according to reports showing increases in number of claims submitted within the past years to current. Sexual harassment is illegal when matters become severe by creating a hostile environment and or adverse employment decision, including termination or demotion. Sexual harassment has become more tolerable because society has failed to recognize the behavior and do something about it versus accept the behavior and belittle ourselves. Regardless of the sex, sexual harassment can happen to anyone any age, there is not a set age requirement on the rules and regulations when it comes to sexual harassment cases. It is important for companies to have a written policy and procedure when it comes to sexual harassment within the workplace. Not only to protect the company if a case should be filed against them but to also educate their staff on what proper way to conduct themselves while at work as well as the steps to take should they be harassed, know off someone being harassed, etc. Many steps are...
Words: 5190 - Pages: 21
...Running Head: Harassment Harassment in the Work Place Celina Delgado English 306 Park University ABSTRACT Sexual Harassment in the workplace can be very critical for an employer. Not only can it ruin the company’s reputation but also it can be left in debt due to lawsuits for cases left unattended. The employer must open their eyes that sexual harassment in fact can happen in any workplace and we should take steps to prevent this from happening. “Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating hostile or offensive working environment” (Wikipedia 20012). Although I personally feel you see it more in men then in women. Certain laws have been placed so that employees could keep the company in a positive and comfortable environment. In order to keep the workplace comfortable everyone must know exactly what sexual harassment is and threatening it could be not only for the individual but also for the employer. TABLE OF CONTENT Title page 1 Abstract 2 Table of Content 3 What is harassment in the workplace 5 Types of harassment 6 Ramifications of Harassment 7 Surveys 9 Conclusion and Solution 10 References 11 Executive Summary The Purpose for my report is to make you aware of what exactly...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
...Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination that happens in familiar environments far too often. It frequently occurs in our place of employment. It’s a subject that needs to be taught to all employers, employees, and other individuals in the work place on how to prevent and counter these activities. Employers should implement and strictly enforce a guideline which directly informs all parties of the consequences if not followed. Employees should understand that they should have no fear of harassment since the policy is there to back them up. In doing so, this should make the environment much more comfortable for every individual since there is a policy in place to support them in a situation that may arise. Moran (2008) wrote that “sexual harassment consists of the request for sexual favors as well as touching, joking, commenting, or distributing material of a sexual nature that an individual has not consented to and finds offensive” (p. 261). It’s a form of unlawful sex discrimination. Under federal law in the United States, sexual harassment is unwanted verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature that occurs in the workplace or in an educational setting under certain conditions. Such behavior is illegal if it creates an environment that is hostile or intimidating, if it interferes with a person’s work or school performance, or if acceptance of the harasser’s behavior is made a condition of employment or academic achievement (Microsoft Student, 2007). The differences...
Words: 1173 - Pages: 5
...labeled as third party sexual harassment and there are very clear cut moral and legal guidelines on the issue. Sexual harassment is by definition " a type of employment discrimination consisting of unwanted sexual advances , sexual conduct or other verbal or physical actions of sexual nature , usually at the work place". When the harassment is perpetrated not by any direct employee of the organization but rather by individuals outside the organization but at work place, this is labeled as third party sexual harassment. This sexual harassment can be of many types: 1.Direct sexual conduct by employer or third party 2.Quid pro quo sexual harassment where the result of any work is based on satisfying the sexual demand. 3.Hostile work environment where an employee is subjected to severe pervasive verbal or physical sexual behavior or lastly 4.Stereortypes where people fail to follow typical male or female stereotypes. .The stake holder in this situation are the company, Intelligent software systems,Inc.,the sales manager , Lindsey the sales rep. and Kenny , the CEO of Second’s people Bank. The sexual harassment in this case is of a serious nature and is Quid pro quo sexual harassment. Quid Pro Quo sexual harassment is derived from Latin meaning "something for something" and is a form of harassment wherein sexual conduct influences basis of decision regarding employment or sales deals etc. Equal Opportunity Commission has defined this type of harassment where in employment decisions...
Words: 1028 - Pages: 5
...Does Sex Have a Place in the Workplace? The purpose for this term paper is to review the issues of sexual harassment in the workplace. As the workforce and diversity in the workforce increase, sexual harassment has a higher chance to occur. I will discuss how sexual harassment is viewed, what constitutes sexual harassment, ways to prevent it from happening, the cause of sexual harassment, the conduct, consequences, types, laws, how it should be handled in the workplace and also give my view points In 1980, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), issued its first formal guidelines on sexual harassment to give employers some directions on what qualifies as sexual harassment and knowing the specifics. According to The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website sexual harassment is defined as unwelcomed sexual advances, request for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Professor Vicky Schultz article “The Sanitized Workplace,” reference that most management theorists and feminist lawyers believe that sex does not have a place in the workplace. In Professor Schultz’s article The Sanitized Workplace, Schultz goes on to say the American society’s most cherished beliefs are that the workplace is, or should be asexual. This means that in the workplace there should not be a distinction between males and females. Trying to do away with workplace distinction would close doors women have tried so hard to keep open that will allow some...
Words: 1525 - Pages: 7
...Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment is considered a form of sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) defines sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advance, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can happen from the opposite sex as well as the same sex. There are two forms of sexual harassment; one is the most commonly know by people is called quid pro quo. It is the exchange of sexual favors for job benefits. Identifiable elements to determined quid pro quo from the case Pease vs. Alford Photo Industries are. You are a member of a protective class You were subjected to unwelcome sexual harassment in the form of sexual advances or requests for sexual favors from a supervisor or individual with authority over the plaintiff. Harassment complained of was based on sex. Submission to the unwelcome advances was an express or implied condition for receiving some form of job benefits, or refusal to submit to sexual demands resulted in a tangible job detriment. Employer knew or should have known of the harassment. The second form of sexual harassment is called Hostile work environment. Its is unwelcome conduct constituting hostile work environment harassment must be sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of the victim’s employment and create an abusive working environment. An example of this could be...
Words: 10643 - Pages: 43
...Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment among the sexes Name: Institution: In a post-modern society characterized by rapid economic progression, technological advancement, progressive diversification and complication of social life, issues of sexual harassment and discrimination have come into play, demanding more and more reflection and attention. Research indicates the shows that a large fraction of the current sexual discrimination and harassment occurs in the workplace, and the form of harassment produced has dire consequences as compared to harassment occurring in the public place. The effects exacted on victims extend further than mere mental anguish to include deterioration of employment conditions, where some victims are forced to resign to avoid more harassment ultimately causing economic losses. Notably, the high probability of occurrence of sexual harassment and the severity of harm go beyond the imagination of people and thus it is necessary to understand and solve this issue. This paper investigates sexual harassment and discrimination at the intersections of gender. Specifically, the paper examines the reasons as to why harassment occurs among sexes and why it is underrepresented among each gender. Defining Sexual Harassment and Discrimination When the terms sexual harassment and discrimination are used or rather mentioned in a conversation they raise an alarm. Sexual harassment, according to Fitzgerald, Collinsworth & Harned (2001), is legally...
Words: 2609 - Pages: 11
...Cases Study on Sexual Harassment Name: Institution: Case Study on Sexual Harassment The topic of sexual harassment brings a lot of questions to mind. The exact definition of sexual harassment varies from area to area and from one country to the next. The online dictionary defines sexual harassment as requests, advances or favors that are sexual in nature and are unwelcome. It is also conduct that is sexually inclined. The conduct is either physical or verbal and submission to it either or implicitly makes it a term of a person’s employment. A person’s employment may depend on whether or not they give in to this pressure. McDonald and Backstrom (2008) define sexual harassment as an act associated with coercion or the use of threats and linking it to job benefits which are tangible. It is also unwelcome conduct which is sexual and interferes with their work, looks that are unwanted and unwanted physical contact as well as touching (McDonald and Backstrom, 2008). The way by which the victims of sexual harassment and those who observe it perceive it and how the employers tackle these issues when they arise is usually related to an organization’s liability risk as stipulated in the sexual harassment laws which are present in North America. In spite of over 30 years of academic research on sexual harassment combined with prohibition lays on harassment in work places Elkins and Velez-Castrillon (2008) still believe that sexual harassment is still a problem which is growing...
Words: 1607 - Pages: 7
...Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 1 Lori Spence LDR 222 Workplace Diversity Owen’s Community College Professor Margaret Parker April 14, 2013 Sexual Harassment in the Workplace 2 Introduction Workplace Sexual Harassment is an issue that is very delicate. The facts are that sexual harassment occurs more than most employers, and employees would like to admit and since the recession the number of cases has risen. All claims of harassment and sexual harassment should be immediately investigated by the employer, in the same manner as other employee complaints. If the investigation confirms the allegations made, immediate corrective action should be taken, including counseling and if appropriate, suspending, demoting, or discharging the offender. In this paper we will look at the facts, causes, outcomes, employer/employee responsibility, and the statistics that are very alarming. Sexual Harassment is an issue that can be viewed in different ways depending on who is looking at the issue and why. We will also look at the alarming trend of male sexual harassment and why it has become almost as common in the workplace as female sexual harassment. I choose this topic because it was interesting that sexual harassment can mean many different things depending on who you ask. The fact that since the recession male...
Words: 2619 - Pages: 11
...Running head: SEXUAL HARASSMENT Workplace Advances Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Xxxxx xxxxxxxx Indiana University Southeast Abstract This study focuses on sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment affects people in every position and every field. Sexual harassment is broken into two types and has different levels. Sexual harassment in the workplace is a form of discrimination. Whether the harassers intent is to intimidate the victim into submission to show the harassers power or to persuade the victim to perform sexual favors to protect their job, it is ultimately a power struggle. The victim may experience unwelcomed sexual advances or demeaning abusive behavior producing a hostile work environment. The victim may suffer physical or mental effects of the abuse causing depression or Sexual Harassment Trauma Syndrome. Courts have ruled on both sides of sexual harassment; both in favor of the harasser and the victim. Employers can be found liable if the courts discover there was knowledge of the harassment but the company did nothing to correct the problem. Workplace Advances Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Introduction The subject of this paper is sexual harassment in the workplace. It is focused toward employers and employees to discuss sexual harassment; what sexual harassment is, who does the harassing and how to stop sexual harassment in the workplace. Background A relatively new term but is not a new problem, sexual harassment has been...
Words: 2263 - Pages: 10
