A Research Assignment On Sexual Harassment In The Workplace (Research Paper Sample)

HARASSMENT ISSUES IN THE WORKPLACE
Student’s Name
Course
Date of Submission
Table of Content
Executive summary5
Introduction6
Definition7
Examples7
Types9
Sexual harassment circumstances9
Effects of sexual harassment on others10
Prevention.11
Case study.11
Conclusion.12
Bibliography.13
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure
1. Image of a supervisor grouping hissecretary.....................................................................8
2. Table showing the types of sexual harassment………………………………………......9
3. Table showing the complainers harasser group………………………………………….10
4. Pie chart showing sexual abuse disparities in relation to age……………………………10
California State University, Fresno
5241 N. MAPLE Ave.
Fresno CA 93740
Iha1085@mail.fresnostate.edu
May 17, 2016
Professor Dennis Mohle, BA 105W Instructor
Craig School of Business
Department of Finance and Business Law
California State University, Fresno
5241 N. Maple Ave.
Fresno CA 93740
Dear Professor Mohle:
Here is the report on sexual harassment in the workplace
This research is based on online research to understand the definition of sexual harassment and its impact in the working environment. Throughout the report, I will explain the types and examples of sexual harassment and ways of preventing it from occurring.
I appreciate having this assignment because I have obtained new insight on sexual harassment and its consequences on the victim, the workplace, and in society. To increase work efficiency and provide a safer environment, it is essential that this topic is addressed. If you need any assistance in understanding the report or validating the research, please contact me at Iha1085@mail.fresnostate.edu or (55)300-4801.
Sincerely, Isaac Hallare,
BA105W Student.
Executive summary
To understand sexual harassment in the workplace, this report explains:
-The definition of sexual harassment
-Examples of sexual harassment
-Types of sexual harassment
-Sexual harassment circumstances
-Effects of sexual harassment on others
-Prevention
Sexual harassment has been around for centuries and only recently, have employers and supervisors have to deal with the issue due to it being under penalty of the law. For the work environment to remain free from harassment by sex, the problem needs to be addressed periodically.
Understanding sexual harassment can provide immediate and long-term benefits to working people as well as students entering the work field through communicating concerns and policies that were otherwise unnoticed in the past. Furthermore, they will be educated on what constitutes a hostile or sexually harassing behavior, and how to address the problem to co-workers who may or may not be aware of their behavior.
Sexual harassment has a devastating impact on the organization, the individuals involved, and the relationships affected outside the workplace. Learning the consequences can help people rethink what goes around the workplace which will help them assess harassing behaviors, and this will lead to discouraging harassment and prevent it from happening again.
The data from the survey and the case studies show the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace.
Most of the preventive measures put forward have not produced the best results yet, but time is also a factor for every method proposed. The primary reason for the lukewarm results is that efforts to fight sexual harassment have been made to look more of normal activities than resembling investigative work, to improve the working environment. Most importantly, employers have the legal obligation to investigate all incidents, including those not reported.
Methodology
The methodologies used in writing this analytical report were cases studies, surveys, and research resources. They yield statistics about the occurrence of sexual harassment in the workplaces, as well as case studies that reveal its impact on the victims of the acts committed. Additionally, conclusions were derived from research sources to come up with preventive measures against sexual harassment. Reliance on surveys in this report is critical because it allows for easy comparison when amazing the results and vast amounts of information can be collected. Alternatively, the research methods used were practical because of the number of issues raised by the topic at hand.
Additionally, the report will seek to gather relevant information so that the void left by existing literature is filled by investigating the construct of workplace sexual harassment.
The Report
There exist two forms of sexual harassment, hostile environment and ‘quid pro quo.' Quid pro quo (stands for this for that) sexual harassment manifests itself when the aggressor implies that employment, academic or any other resolution about a worker or student relies on if the student or employee yields to sexual conduct.1 For instance, when an employee is forced to think that an appraisal is assured if he or she accepts sexual advances from the boss, then that employee is likely being forced to ‘quid pro quo’ sexual harassment. Quid pro quo can also occur if the employee is made to submit to sexual advances to avoid a reprimand, or getting laid off.
In case of the above scenario, sexual harassment translates to sex discrimination through the assertion that the coercion would not be possible to make if the employee were not of the opposite gender.2 The other type of sexual harassment is a hostile environment, which manifests when unpleasant demeanor of a sexual context leads to an abusive, threatening, or intimidating, domain and is so severe that it affects an individual’s capacity to benefit or participate in a situation. From this form of harassment, the casualty does not affirm definite bullying, but rather because the overall work situation is biased.3 A position by law is hostile if, the employee failed to get a job promotion as a result of the behavior.
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1 Singh, Priti. 2012. "Sexual Harassment At Work Place". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.2118899.
2Ibid
3Ibid
There is also three other narrow classifications of sexual harassment; verbal, non-verbal and physical. Verbal bullying can manifest in many ways including when a workmate makes sexual comments about a colleagues body or refers to them as a girl, hunk, babe, doll, or honey. The other way of harassing someone is by making kissing sounds, howling, smacking lips, repeatedly forcing a workmate to go out on a date, and whistling at someone. Furthermore, passing sexual remarks about the attire of a person, looks, or anatomy, instigating rumors regarding their sex life are other forms of verbal intrusion that can affect not only the victim but also people witnessing the act.
Image of a supervisor grouping his secretary
Table 1 showing the types of sexual harassment
Forms of sexual harassment

Hostile environment

quid pro quo


Harassment examples

verbal

Non-verbal

physical

Table 2: Physical and non-physical alleged sexual harassment
Grouping

Male to female

Female to female

Female to male

Male to male

Type of sexual harassment

Number and percentage

Number and percentage

Number and percentage

Number and percentage

Non-physical

102=46.2%

11=68.8%

8=57.1%

15=50%

Physical

14=6.3%

1=6.3%

3=21.4%

4=13.3%

Both physical and non-physical

105=47.5%

4=25%

3=21.4%

11=35.5%

Total

221 cases

16 cases

14 cases

30 cases

The table above shows the types of sexual harassment prevalent in workplaces.
Non-verbal conducts or gestures are in some instances classified as sexual harassment if they prove to be offensive, persistent, and severe. Examples include sexual gazes and obscene gestures such as ogling with implicative overtones, unwelcome flirting or displaying evocative sexual pictures, calendars, and posters. In other situations, stalking is also regarded as another form of non-verbal sexual harassment. Physical harassment includes touching others sexually, playing with someone’s hair, pulling an individual’s attire with the motive of tearing them or displaying private parts or hugging without permission.
Based on information from the US Commission on opportunities in employment, 16,000 sexual related cases were presented in court in 2016, and a 2016 MSNBC news survey discovered that more than 27 percent of women disclosed that they had been continuously subjected to sexual abuse at their place of work. However, there is a difficulty in elaborating what embodies sexual torture.4 To be able to raise an issue for action on sexual infringement successfully, the oppressed should be in a position to demonstrate that they deem the habit to be hostile or offensive, or any other sensible individual in the level of the plaintiff would also believe the behavior to be vulgar, offensive, or hostile.
The norm is that the accuser should in the first instance file the case about the misconduct with an administrative body. If it is a federal issue, the offended should first file the claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The courts have also stated what conducts precisely establish sexual harassment. Therefore, to be in a position to apply for a case against sexual abuse at work, the condition neces...