You have probably sat through an HR presentation, clicked through a slide deck, or signed off on your workplace’s harassment policies.
But in reality, sexual harassment at work often looks very different than the scenarios presented in these kinds of trainings or policy documents.
I represent many professionals who doubt that what they’re experiencing “counts” as harassment or feel like their experience isn’t “bad enough” to report.
This post will give you a clear understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment at work, why most people struggle to know what to do when they do experience this kind of harassment, and what your options are if you are harassed at work.
What does sexual harassment in the workplace actually look like?
There are two primary types of harassment you may experience at work:
Quid pro quo harassment: This is a more straight-forward type of harassment that involves opportunities, promotions, pay, and individual treatment being tied to accepting or rejecting sexual advances, requests, or conduct.
Hostile work environment: This type of harassment can be harder to identify. It involves unwanted behavior, communication, or actions that create an unwelcome and/or abusive working environment.
Sexual harassment in the workplace can look like:
- Sexual comments, jokes, or questions
- Repeated requests for social connection or a date
- Unwanted touching or physical contact
- Sexual messages, photos, or content shared at work or outside of work by a colleague
- Comments about the body or physical appearance
- Sexual rumors, innuendo, or inappropriate conversations
- Threats, retaliation, or professional consequences when advances, jokes, or requests are rejected
Contrary to popular belief, harassment doesn’t only come from a superior.
Sexual harassment can involve coworkers, managers, collaborators, clients, vendors, or subordinates. It can happen once or many times. And it doesn’t have to involve physical contact in order to “count” as harassment.
Even if you laugh off the interaction or make light of it in the moment, it’s still harassment. Your reaction doesn’t change the validity of what happened.
What about cyber sexual harassment?
Harassment in the workplace doesn’t always include physical on in-person communication, behavior, or touch.
Cyber sexual harassment is just as serious.
This can include things like unwanted:
- Sexual Slack messages
- Suggestive photos
- Sexually explicit behavior or communication on video calls, through email, or digital, internal work tools
Many people believe harassment matters less if it happens online, but that’s simply not true.
Cyber harassment is still a crime, and you have options for moving forward if you’ve experienced this at work.
What to do when you experience sexual harassment at work
Not all behavior that makes you uncomfortable meets the legal standard for harassment.
When you think you may have experienced sexual harassment at work, the first step is to contact an attorney who specializes in sexual misconduct and harassments.
I help my clients understand what happened and evaluate whether the misconduct falls into the category of unlawful harassment.
Everyone responds to threatening situations differently. Regardless of your response in the moment or after, you deserve the support of a legal professional who can help you navigate your experience and outline your potential next steps.
Many people do not immediately report sexual harassment at work because they’re afraid they will lose their job, damage their reputation, or won’t be believed.
You may also feel emotional and uncertain about sharing what happened.
These are all very normal responses, and none of these reactions determine or impact whether the behavior was appropriate or lawful.
As a trauma-informed attorney, I help my clients understand all of their potential choices so they can do what supports their safety and needs. You should never feel pressured into taking a specific action, by a legal professional or someone at work.
Speaking with an attorney does not mean you’re required to file a lawsuit. You have the autonomy and ability to move forward in a number of different ways if you choose.
Starting with a legal consultation simply clarifies the legal implications of your experience and outlines your rights, risks, and potential options.
You have options if you experience harassment in the workplace
Exactly what happens after you experience sexual harassment at work depends on the unique circumstance.
Your legal representative can help you create a customized plan of action based on what you want, your specific safety concerns, and overall goals.
Some practical next steps may include:
- Documenting what happened. Even if you never use what you document, it’s helpful to write down dates, what was specifically done or said, and what happened afterwards.
- Saving evidence like emails, texts, performance reviews, direct messages, or other communication.
- Reviewing policies. It’s helpful to read through your employee handbook and any relevant policies to understand internal reporting procedures.
- Noting deadlines. Employment-related claims can have strict filing deadlines depending on the workplace and jurisdiction. Make sure you understand key dates to help guide your decisions and future actions.
Harassment in the workplace can leave you feeling out of control and overwhelmed.
You deserve legal support that understands the emotional impact of what you’ve been through and provides a safe space to process.
Need a sexual harassment attorney?
If you’re in New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, or DC, you’ll find trauma-informed legal representation at Lindsay Lieberman Law and Consulting.
A legal consultation is a confidential way to understand what happened and evaluate your options.
It is a safe way to ask questions, learn your rights, and consider your next steps.
