Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome behavior, or attention, of a sexual nature that interferes with your life. Sexual advances, forced sexual activity, statements about sexual orientation or sexuality, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature all constitute sexual harassment. The behavior may be direct or implied. Sexual harassment can affect an individual's work or school performance, and can create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
Sexual harassment can occur in a number of ways, such as:
- The victim as well as the harasser can be either male, or female. The
harasser does not have to be of the opposite sex. - The harasser can be anyone: the victim's supervisor, a client, a co-worker, a
teacher or professor, a schoolmate, a stranger, even a family member. - The harasser's behavior must be unwelcome.
- The victim does not have to be the person directly harassed but can be anyone
who finds the behavior offensive and is affected by it. - While adverse effects on the victim are common, this does not have to be the
case for the behavior to be unlawful. - The harasser may be completely unaware that their behavior is offensive or
constitutes sexual harassment, or they may be completely unaware that their
actions could be unlawful.
© Copyright Sexual Harassment Support (SHS)
If you're unsure whether a certain type of behavior is sexual harassment or want more information, contact SHARPP.
For more information on University’s sexual harassment policy follow the link to the Affirmative Action and Equity Office.