Sexual harassment is defined as an act of threatening or compelling which is sexual in nature, or the undesirable or unsuitable promise of recompense in exchange for sexual favors. Depending on the circumstances, sexual harassment may be considered unlawful. The term embraces a range of conduct which includes minor misdemeanors and aggravations to actual sexual abuse. In many countries, sexual harassment is considered as a display of discrimination and a form of both sexual and psychological abuse.

Instances Leading to Sexual Harassment

Many businesses center their legal decisions on preventing the occurrences of sexual harassment and defending employees from this kind of charges. On the contrary, many scholars protest that sexual harassment existing in the world of teaching and learning remains ignored and unresolved. Educators and administrators deny the existence of the problem in their schools or reject their legal and ethical accountabilities to manage it.

The circumstances in which sexual harassment can occur may differ. In most cases, the harasser is in a position of authority or influence over the victim. This air of superiority may be due to age, social, educational and political differences. Employment relationships may also be a factor. The following are the forms of harassment relationships:

• The harasser can be any person. He could be a co-employee, a professor, a friend or a stranger.

• In some circumstances, the victim is not necessarily the person being directly harassed but someone who finds the conduct offensive.

• Both the victim and harasser can be of any gender.

• It is not at all times that the harasser belongs to the opposite sex

• It is possible for the harasser to be totally unaware that his or her conduct is offensive or that it represents sexual harassment or may be completely ignorant that his or her behavior could be a violation of the law.

• Misinterpretation of communication between male and female

Occurrence of Sexual Harassment

This can occur in a circumstance where one thinks that he/she is communicating his/her message clearly but the other party does not understand him/her the way he/she wants to be understood. The nature of the misunderstanding can either be sensible or insensible. Sexual harassment is hard to understand for different reasons. It takes in a range of conduct and the “victim” often has difficulty in expressing to others exactly what he/she is experiencing. Furthermore, the behavior and motives may differ among individual harassers.

This article does not intend to provide legal advice.

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