Sexual Harassment

Males and females can be harassers

Sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination involving unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which interferes with the education or work of others. Sexual harassment violates university policy as well as state and federal laws and can result in disciplinary action for employee or student offenders as severe as expulsion or dismissal. In addition to university sanction, persons who engage in sexual harassment may be subject to civil or criminal action.

Sexual harassment occurs in many diverse situations. What the situations have in common is the irrelevant and unnecessary introduction of sexual comments or activities. Such harassment can be verbal, written, or physical and ranges from subtle innuendos of a sexual nature to coerced sexual relations. It happens in relationships of unequal power (for example, between faculty member and student or supervisor and employee) and in relationships of equal power (for example, between students who are peers, or colleagues in a work environment). Though most victims of sexual harassment are women, men can also be victims of sexual harassment. Both women and men can be offenders.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provides a legal definition of sexual harassment:

Examples of sexual harassment can include:

• Inappropriate, sexually suggestive notes, letters, posters, or other written communication, and
• Inappropriate, sexually suggestive comments about a person's clothing, body, or other aspects of personal appearance, and
• Sexually suggestive, insulting sounds, such as whistles, and
• Jokes about men or women that denigrates their gender as a whole, and
• Sexually suggestive or obscene gestures, and
• Unwelcome sexual advances, propositions, pressure for sexual activity, requests for sexual favors in exchange for a better grade, or a promotion, and
• Inappropriate, unwelcome touching (patting, pinching), or brushing against the body, and
• Inappropriate, physical exposure, and
• Unwelcome attempted or actual kissing or fondling, and
• Sexual assault, which is physical contact of a sexual nature against a persons will without her or his consent, and
• Coerced sexual intercourse, where the coercion is implied or threatened as well as physical action taken against a person in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment, and
• Action taken against a person in retaliation for reporting sexual harassment.

Companies are spending huge amounts of money to pay for sexual harassment lawsuits.  Regardless of the truth of the claim, sexual harassment claims COST MONEY; attorney fees, increased insurance rates, employee's production time lost because of depositions or other case related activities.

Though nobody can prevent a sexual harassment lawsuit from being filed, Corporate Protection Services can ensure that your company has the correct provisions in your company handbook, as well as following the correct procedures once a claim has been made.

Workplace Violence Perpetrator Profile

• White male
• 35 years or older
• A history of violence towards women, children and/or animals
• An unstable work history
• Loners with little or no family or social support
• Tends to externalize blame for things gone wrong
• Accepts criticism poorly
• Medium to heavy use of drugs or alcohol
• Possible military history
• Owns firearms or other dangerous weapons

      Patterns of Behavior for Violence Perpetrators

• A fixation with or attraction to violent or sexually explicit materials
• Depression, withdrawal and suicidal comments
• Paranoia or other unstable emotional responses
• A preoccupation with guns, weapons or violent incidents
• Repeated violations of company policy
  
• Unprovoked anger or rage
• Increased use of alcohol and/or drugs
• Unexplained increase in absenteeism
• Decreased attention to appearance and hygiene
• Increased domestic problems
• Closing bank accounts, moving or withdrawing personal funds
• Talking of a plan to "fix everything"

What we can do for your company

We will assist you in streamlining your paper flow.  We can even help eliminate your paper flow by assisting your company in becoming virtually paperless, thus saving time and money in employee costs and storage fees.

We will assist in the design and structure of company agreements specific to the needs and goals of your business and then help you manage and update your agreements on an ongoing basis including annual, semi-annual or quarterly reviews, based on your company's needs.

• Create informational packet to deliver to all employees.  
• Add policy to company handbook.
• Perform review of procedures.