Sexual harassment happens when one person uses sexual words, gestures, looks or touches that may make another person feel uncomfortable or unsafe. It can include offering academic benefits or employment advancement in exchange for sexual favors or making threats after a negative response to sexual advances. Some specific examples of sexual harassment are listed below. Note that the behavior(s) that constitute sexual harassment may not be intrinsically harassing but are considered so depending upon the context and impact of the behaviors on a person.
Verbal/Written
- Requesting sexual favors
- Repeatedly asking a person out
- Making sexual innuendoes/comments with sexual overtones
- Describing attributes of a person’s body, clothing or behavior in a sexual manner
- Telling sexual or sex-based jokes
- Asking about a person’s sexual experiences, fantasies or preferences
- Spreading rumors about a person’s personal or sexual life
- Making statements that threaten a person or involve sexual bribery
- Making threats after a negative response to sexual advances
- Calling a person sexually oriented names such as hunk, doll, babe or honey
- Calling a person a sexually derogatory name such as bitch, whore or slut
Nonverbal/Visual
- Looking/staring up and down a person’s body
- Making facial expressions of a sexual nature such as leering, winking, throwing kisses or licking lips
- Making sexually suggestive or derogatory gestures
- Sending/distributing sexually explicit or derogatory posters, drawings, pictures, cartoons, cards, publications, screensavers, novelties, etc.
- Creating public graffiti about a person’s sexuality
- Touching or rubbing oneself sexually in view of another person
- Exposing oneself to another person
- Following a person
Physical
- Impeding or blocking a person’s movement/path
- Inappropriately touching a person or a person’s clothing
- Standing closer than appropriate or necessary to a person
- Assaulting a person
- Having unwanted sexual contact with a person
- Patting, hugging, kissing or stroking
How is flirting different from sexual harassment? The determining factor is the impact the act has on the individual it was directed toward. Flirting is enjoyable to both people. If the behavior is sexual in nature, is unwelcome and makes the person it is directed at feel uncomfortable or unsafe, then it is sexual harassment.