PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT

1
PREVENTION OF SEXUAL HARASSMENT
2
OBJECTIVES

• Define Sexual Harassment
• Explain the categories of sexual harassment
• Identify behaviors of sexual harassment
• Explain the elements of sexual harassment
• Explain the sexual harassment checklist

3
OBJECTIVES

• Describe the impact of sexual harassment
• Describe commanders and leaders
  responsibilities
• Explain techniques to deal with sexual harassment
• Explain the administrative actions dealing with
  sexual harassment

4
TRUE OR FALSE
5
TRUE OR FALSE

• Sexual harassment can only occur in the work
  place.
• Women can not be guilty of sexual harassment.
• Only those in leadership positions can initiate
  sexual harassment.
• Touching other individuals should be avoided.

6
TRUE OR FALSE

• As long as you dont say anything sexually
  suggestive to someone, or physically touch them,
  it is all right to look at them all you want.
• You keep sexually explicit pictures in your space
  at work and someone complains about them. If you
  do not remove them, you could be guilty of sexual
  harassment.

7
ANSWERS Q1 Q2

• (F) Sexual harassment can take place anywhere.
  It is wrong no matter where it occurs.
• (F) Women can harass men. If a person uses sex
  to create a hostile environment, it is sexual
  harassment.

8
ANSWER Q3

• (F) It is true that sexual harassment is often
  initiated by those in a position of power.
  However, it can also be initiated by peers and
  other persons not in your chain of command and
  can lead to a hostile environment.

9
ANSWER Q4

• (T) Unnecessary touching should be avoided.

10
ANSWER Q5

• (F) One look says a thousand words. It is
  possible to make someone feel very uncomfortable
  by just leering at them. A leer filled with
  unwanted sexual advances can be just as upsetting
  as a suggestive comment or unwanted touch.

11
ANSWER Q6

• (T) Sexually explicit material can create a
  hostile environment for others. If your fellow
  workers are offended by the material, it is
  considered a form of sexual harassment.

12
HARASS
TO ANNOY OR TORMENT REPEATEDLY AND PERSISTENTLY
WEBSTERS
WEBSTERS II DICTIONARY
13
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS NOT COMPLICATED TO DEFINE.
TO HARASS SOMEONE IS TO BOTHER HIM OR HER.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IS BOTHERING SOMEONE IN A
SEXUAL WAY.
Ellen Bravo The 9 to 5 Guide to Combating Sexual
Harassment
14
SEXUAL HARASSMENT

• Sexual Harassment is a form of sex discrimination
  that involves UNWELCOME sexual advances, requests
  for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
  conduct of a sexual nature WHEN

15

• Submission to or rejection of such conduct is
  made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
  condition of a persons job, pay, or career.
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a
  person is made as a basis for career or
  employment decisions affecting that person.

16

• Such conduct interferes with an individuals
  performance or creates an intimidating, hostile,
  or offensive environment.

17
This means that any person in a supervisory or
command position who

• Uses or condones explicit or implicit sexual
  behavior to control, influence, or affect the
  career, pay, or job of another soldier or
  civilian employee is engaging in sexual
  harassment.
• Makes deliberate or repeated UNWELCOME verbal
  comments, gestures, or physical contact of a
  SEXUAL nature is engaging in sexual harassment.

18
Categories of Sexual Harassment

• Quid Pro Quo
• Hostile Environment

19
Quid Pro Quo

• Latin term meaning this for that
• Conditions placed upon a persons career or terms
  of employment in return for sexual favors
• Promises of career advancement, promotions, and
  other benefits should the victim give in to the
  sexual advances.

20
Hostile Environment

• Unwelcome behavior that is severe or pervasive
  and unreasonably interferes with a persons
  working conditions
• Offensive
• Unsolicited comments and/or behaviors of a sexual
  nature

21
Hostile Environment (cont)

• Not blatant acts, but gray area behaviors
• also include
• Sexually oriented cartoons/pictures/emails
• Sexually explicit jokes/attitudes/
• opinions
• Derogatory feminine terms for
• unsatisfactory male performance

22
Forms of Sexual Harassment

• Extreme - Proposition, sexual assault, rape
• Subtle - Verbal calls, unwanted physical contact,
  love notes, memos, gossip, and rumors

23
Behaviors of Sexual Harassment

• Behaviors may be both verbal and/or nonverbal
• The key is that the behavior is unwelcome and of
  a sexual nature

24
Behaviors of Sexual Harassment

• Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Jody calls of a sexual nature
• Barking, growling, oinking, whistling
• Sexually oriented remarks about anothers
  clothing, body, or sexual activities
• Pressure, no matter how slight, for sexual
  activity linking it to threats to job, grade, etc

25
Behaviors of Sexual Harassment (continued)

• Sexually degrading language and/or profanity
• Promises of rewards/benefits for cooperating
• Telling jokes with sexual connotations
• Personal inquiries unrelated to work
• Referring to co-workers as baby, dear, honey,
  sweetheart, hunk, etc.

26
Behaviors of Sexual Harassment (continued)

• Non-Verbal Sexual Harassment
• Sexually oriented entertainment at functions
• Leering or staring at anothers body
• Gestures made with intentional sexual overtones
• Leaving sexually suggestive notes

27
Behaviors of Sexual Harassment (continued)

• Blowing kisses
• Licking lips
• Winking in a suggestive manner
• Sexually oriented e-mail
• Sexually oriented faxes
• Sexually oriented screen savers

28
More behaviors of sexual harassment

• Physical Contact Sexual Harassment
• Touching Grabbing
• Cornering Hugging
• Patting Bumping
• Pinching

29
Still More Behaviors of Sexual Harassment

• Kissing
• Playing footsie/kneesie
• Blocking a passageway
• Unsolicited back and neck rubs
• Unsolicited clothing adjustments
• Rape

30
VIDEO
31
Related Elements of Sexual Harassment

• Impact vs. Intent
• Reasonable Person Standard

32
Related Elements of Sexual Harassment

• Impact vs. Intent
• Assessing whether the behavior is appropriate
  or offensive must be done from the perspective of
  the recipient, not the alleged harasser.

33
Related Elements of Sexual Harassment

• Reasonable Person Standard
• How would a reasonable man/woman under similar
  circumstances react or be affected by such
  behavior?

Used to predict the expected reaction to or
impact of perceived offensive behaviors on the
recipient.
34
Impact of Sexual Harassment On Victim
Anger Reduction in work performance Avoidance
Unreasonable stress Self blame High degree of
fear and anxiety Undermine teamwork and
morale Lose job Demoted
35
Impact of Sexual Harassment On the Organization

• Mistrust and frustration
• Increased absenteeism
• Recruiting and retention problems
• Loss of productivity
• Affects the level of mission accomplishment
• Loss of unit cohesion
• Lowering of morale
• Legal consequences (punitive
  compensatory)

36
Impact of Sexual Harassment on Military Personnel
VERBAL REPRIMAND
COURTS MARTIAL

• UNSOLICITED AND UNWELCOME SEXUAL CONTACT
• UCMJ - ARTICLES 120, 128, 134
• ENGAGES IN SEXUAL HARASSMENT TO DETRIMENT OF
• HIS/HER JOB PERFORMANCE - UCMJ - ARTICLE 92
• OBSERVES SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND NEITHER STOPS
• NOR REPORTS IT UCMJ - ARTICLE 77
• MAKING SEXUAL COMMENTS/GESTURES
• UCMJ - ARTICLE 89, 91, 117

37
Sexual Harassment Checklist

• Is the behavior inappropriate for the workplace?
• Is the behavior sexual in nature or connotation?
• Is the conduct unwanted, unwelcome, or
  unsolicited?
• Do the elements of power, control, or influence
  exist?

38
Sexual Harassment Checklist (continued)

• Does the situation indicate a quid pro quo
  relationship?
• Have sexual favors been demanded, requested, or
  suggested?
• Does the behavior create a hostile or offensive
  environment?
• How would a reasonable person be affected?

39
Leaderships Responsibilities

• Examine his/her own personal behavior
• Provide an environment free of intimidation,
  hostility, or psychological stress
• Control social interactions so that they do not
  interfere with productivity
• Establish, maintain and enforce standards

40
Leaderships Responsibilities(Continued)

• Take corrective action whenever sexual behavior
  is displayed
• Assign responsibility to the appropriate parties
  by holding persons accountable for their own
  actions
• Take disciplinary action when sexual harassment
  has occurred

41
Leaders Responsibilities(Continued)

• Read and understand the policies and regulations,
  so you know what sexual harassment is
• Be knowledgeable of the fact that sexual
  harassment exists
• Enforce the standards
• Educate and inform all individuals about sexual
  harassment

42
Strategies for Combating Sexual Harassment

• Be Pro-Active
• Conduct sexual harassment training
• Role play during workshops
• Outline procedures and policies
• Use bulletin boards
• Be familiar with regulations/policies

43
Techniques to deal withSexual Harassment

• Diary
• Intermediary
• Letter
• Confronting
• Report the harassment to chain of command
• File a informal/formal complaint

44
Identify the Problem

• Do you know if sexual harassment exists in your
  work environment? Look for the following
  indicators. Any of these elements may constitute
  sexual harassment.
• Physical Contact - Squeezing a workers shoulder
  or putting a hand around his or her waist.
• Gestures - Puckering ones lips suggestively or
  making obscene signs with ones fingers or hands.

45
Identify the Problem

• Pictures - Pin-ups, particularly those of
  scantily-clad individuals.
• Terms of Endearment - calling a co-worker
  honey, dear, sweetheart, or some similar
  expression. The effect is the primary issue
  rather than intent. Even if the person means
  nothing to you or you have used the term for
  years, you should be aware that these
  expressions are inappropriate.

46
Identify the Problem

• Questionable Compliments -
• Nice legs!
• You look hot in that outfit!.
• Compliments like these can make individuals feel
  uncomfortable or worse. Even if the person who
  received the compliment is not disturbed by it,
  others may be.

47
Self Evaluation

• DMA is comprised of people with different
  backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs. To strive
  for a more productive work atmosphere, get to
  know the people you work with and respect their
  individuality as they should yours. The
  following can help you get more out of work
  relationships.
• Does the behavior contribute to work output and
  mission accomplishment?

48
Self Evaluation

• Could the behavior offend or hurt other members
  of the work group?
• Could someone misinterpret the behavior as
  intentionally harmful or harassing?
• Could the behavior send out signals that invite
  inappropriate behavior by others?
• Do I treat people equally regardless of race,
  gender, religion, etc.?

49
Self Evaluation

• Do I care if I offend others?
• Do I really listen when someone tries to tell me
  something I do not want to hear?
• Do people feel comfortable being honest with me?
• Do my subordinates or co-workers tell me about my
  behaviors that they find offensive or
  inappropriate?

50
SEXUAL HARRASMENT is..

• Inappropriate
• Disrespectful
• Illegal

51
VIDEO
52
Remember RESPECT

• Resolve conflicts at the lowest level
• Explore options to improve relationships
• Sensitize yourself your subordinates
• Promote positive human relations
• Eliminate unacceptable behavior
• Consider organization employee needs
• Teach non-discrimination EO skills by example

53
Summary

• Define Sexual Harassment
• Explain the categories of sexual harassment
• Explain the elements of sexual harassment
• Forms of sexual harassment

54
Summary (continued)

• Identify behaviors of sexual harassment
• Explain the commanders and leaders
  responsibilities
• Explain the sexual harassment checklist
• List techniques to deal with sexual harassment
• Explain the administrative actions

55
Questions
MAJ Elijah Ramsey State Equal Employment
Manager Comm. [phone] / DSN 438-6229 /
Pager [phone]