CHAPTER 11

ISSUES ON SEXUAL
HARASSMENT
 Learning Outcomes
At the end of the chapter, the students are expected to:

•Define what sexual harassment is;

•Determine what constitutes to sexual harassment, and
•Suggest action plans to resolve issues concerning sexual harassment
in the society.
Whenever we hear from a woman (a student/an employee) that she was harassed,
we immediately think that she was sexually violated or abused. Hence, most
victims do not easily open up because of embarrassment or humiliation. Sad but
true.

But harassment is a serious offense, as serious as bullying. It is not only disdainful

and unsettling but it is psychologically stressful for the victim. Harassment of any
kind is traumatic, something the victim carries even to her grave.
 SEXUAL HARASSMENT

What exactly is sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment refers t to any
unwelcome sexual behavior that is
offensive, humiliating or intimidating. It
can be written, verbal or physical and
can happen in person or online.
Unknown to many, sexual harassment does not necessarily mean that you are
physically or bodily violated. The experience of being touched, grabbed or fondled
without the person's consent is a common harassment incident but sexual harassment
also includes the following:

1. Making comments to you that contains sexual undertones;

2. Asking you for sex or other sexual favors;
3. Leering and staring at you;
4. Displaying rude and offensive materials so that you or others can see it;
5. Making sexual gestures or suggestive body movements towards you;
6. Cracking sexual gestures and comments around or to you;
7. Questioning you about your sex life;
8. Insulting you with sexual comments;
9. Committing a criminal offense against you, such as making obscene phone call,
indecently exposing themselves, or sexually assaulting you.

Any incident that makes you feel humiliated, degraded or intimidated can be
How harmful is sexual harassment to the victim? Most victims,
even to these days, are afraid of voicing out their experiences of
such nature. But a study reveals that these are what most
women feel after the incident:

1. The victim feels stressed, anxious and depressed.

2. She shies away from any form of socialization.
3. She loses confidence and self-esteem.
4. She experiences physical symptoms of stress, like headaches,
backaches or sleep problems.
5. She becomes less productive and always lacks concentration.
So often you hear stories of efficient female secretaries or lady executives who
suddenly lose interest in their work after a while, or a hardworking female factory
worker who never misses her work but suddenly becomes delinquent. The erratic
change in work attitude of these individuals can actually be explained by these
unfortunate incidences.

Vulnerable to Sexual Harassment

1. Women who are household heads and need jobs desperately;

2. Divorcees, widows or separated are psychologically vulnerable due to loneliness
or personal loss;
3. Women who are timid or insecure about their abilities and lack of self-
confidence, or with limited potential for career advancement;
4. Women who are eager to be accepted and liked;
5. Saleswomen who are pressured by male clients in exchange for their business.
 Sexual Harassment in
School
But sexual harassment is also prevalent in schools. In fact, there are many unreported
cases of sexual harassment that happened in school campuses than in workplaces. There
are two forms of unlawful sexual harassment in schools. The first form, the quid pro quo
harassment occurs when a school employee explicitly or implicitly conditions a student's
participation in a school program or activity or bases the academic grades on the student's
submission to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal,
non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This harassment is equally unlawful
whether the student resists and suffers the threatened harm or submits and thus avoids
the threatened harm (AAUW, 1993).
The second recognized form of sexual harassment in schools is hostile-
environment harassment. This includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for
sexual favors, and other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual
nature by an employee, another student, or a third party. This form of harassment
requires that the harassing behavior be sufficiently severe, persistent, or
pervasive so as to limit a student's ability to participate in or benefit from a
school program or activity, or to create a hostile or abusive educational
environment. Typically, in school settings and particularly between students,
allegations of hostile- environment harassment are more commonplace than
allegations of quid pro quo harassment.
In a survey conducted by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) in
1993 which covered 79 public schools, their findings revealed that:

1. 83% of the girls and 60% of the boys reported experiencing sexual harassment in
school;
2. 78% of students reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual harassment
since high school;
3. The most frequently type of sexual harassment experienced in school was sexual
comments, jokes, gestures, or looks (76%);
4. 81% of the students experienced sexual harassment in the hall (66%);

4. 81% of the students experienced sexual harassment in the hall (66%);

5. 70% have been targeted by another student (a member of the opposite sex); and
6. 75% of the people responsible for the upsetting behavior were male.
Notice that the above report was conducted in the most democratic
country, USA. Let us look at two local studies that concerned similar
situation. In a baseline study on violence against the children in public
schools in 9 provinces (including the National Capital Region), the 2009
study had the following findings:

1. Verbal harassment was experienced by 36.5% Grades 4 to 6 and

42.9% of high school respondents;
2. 12% of Grades 1 to 6 students and 17.6% of high school students
were touched inappropriately;
3. Among the high school students 2.4% were forced to have sex;
4. Majority of the predators mentioned in the study were peers.
In 2015, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the United Nations
International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) conducted a national study on
Violence Against Children (VAC) in the Philippines. Here are their findings:

1. Three out of five Filipino children were physically abused (66.3%) psychologically
abused (62.8%) , and bullied (65%).
2. Almost 1 in 5 children experienced being sexually violated (21.5%)
3. Sexual violence was highest during dating (14.4%) and home (13.7%) , and in the
community (7.8%)
4. The predators at home were family members while those during dating were
peers.
5. Among children and young people who experienced any form of sexual abuse,
11.9% disclosed to someone.
6. The majority of the disclosures were made to friends, while 10% - 20% of disclosures
were made to mothers. Very few (less than 1%) ever reported to authorities.
7. Teachers and guidance counselors were the most professionals that children
disclosed to
WHAT TO DO?
At the Workplace:

1.Talk to the offender and explain to the person who is harassing you that
their behavior is unwanted.
2.Be informed. Find out what the company policy and procedures on
sexual harassment.
3.Keep a diary where you record the incident (time, date, place, offender’s
name and narrative of the incident.
4.Save evidences (text message, social media comments, notes, and
emails). This is helpful when you file a complaint.
5.Get external information and advice.
6.Tell someone (to HR manager, peer or trusted friend).
At School:

1.Seek for legal advice.

2.Check school’s policies on sexual misconduct at the complaint process.
3.Write down everything as soon as possible so you don’t forget any
detail.
4.Report the sexual assault or harassment to a school official.
5.Report it without telling the offender in advance.
6.Check if your complaint it taken seriously and investigated by the
school.
7. If the school does nothing after you report, make a police report or seek
other lawful action.
 Managing Global Sexual
Harassment Investigations -
Lesson
Investigating sexual harassmentLearnt
across different jurisdictions
needs careful handling both legally and culturally.
 1
CULTURE
CHALLENGES
2
RECENT LEGAL
DEVELOPMENT IN SEXUAL
HARRASMENT
3
SEXUAL HARRASMENT HAS NO
PLACE DURING EQC, PUNISHABLE
UNDER SAFE SPACE ACT AND
 Workplace culture, particularly where operations
are dispersed globally, far from the head office
location, must also be addressed if businesses are
to change behavior. In our experience, the appetite
to raise and address issues can vary and unless
the business establishes a global standard of
behavior that is universally applied in local
contracts Local resistance
of employment andto sexual rules,
workplace harassment
it
investigations
can be difficult can also of
to ensure consistency arise where the
approach.
alleged perpetrator is a key performer
or leader in the business. It may want
I
to retain the employee, despite the
 A number of themes have emerged globally
from those countries that have implemented
or proposed new harassment-related
legislation. One such theme is restricting or
eliminating the use of confidentiality/non-
disclosure agreements (NDAs). Whilst it is
recognized that there may be legitimate
II
reasons to use such agreements to the
 Women face fear, uncertainty, heavier domestic
care, limited movements, and economic
constraints during the enhanced community
quarantine (ECQ) to prevent the spread of COVID-
19, but instead of easing their burden,
perpetrators of sexual harassment double their
suffering. With the extension of the ECQ in Luzon
and other local government units in Visayas and
Mindanao, the Philippine Commission on Women
(PCW) calls on everyone to contribute in ending
this perennial problem.
III
Thank
You