The Current State of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual Harassment in the workplace/Cause and Prevention. The most commonly accepted definition of sexual harassment is any unwanted sexual advance or comment. In a nutshell that’s it. And any and every workplace one might visit has very strict guidelines on policies regarding the problem. There are a myriad of ways in which various companies deal with it, discuss it, and disseminate knowledge about it and as sexual harassment in the workplace is the topic for essa, we will discuss what are main causes of it and what solutions can be done to resolve the issue.
Everyone across the board agrees very stringently that it is wrong and should, in an ideal world be abolished completely. The concept revolves around conduct as serious as sleeping with, or rather forcing someone to sleep with them at the cost of their job or some other implied threat to something as simple as an unwanted hug. It even covers comments, jokes, and basic use of language.
Yet curiously, when people are questioned, random polls taken, people merely asked for their opinion, a startling truth reveals itself. Not everybody actually agrees, on what actually constitutes sexual harassment. Opinions are as varied as there are people about what it really is. On the whole people naturally agree that in some way forcing oneself on another person is sexual harassment, but when one devolves into the other acts of conduct the waters become considerably murkier.
For instance some people claim that while its ok for one woman to compliment another on her appearance that same compliment from a man could land him in hot water, and could theoretically constitute sexual harassment, if even he possessed no ill intention behind the act or comment itself. This would logically fly in the face of sexual preferences themselves, since lesbians do exist, bisexual women do exist, so theoretically that type of comment from a woman to a woman, could still contain sexual intent or innuendo.
Others claim such comments from a man wouldn’t constitute harassment either, so the point is moot. So while it is true everyone shares a sort of homogenous overview of what it is, there is anything but, according to the fringe boundaries of what might, or might not constitute it.
But everyone certainly agrees it should be punished, and everyone certainly has solutions. In fact there are many commonly accepted punishments such as job loss, or even in some cases criminal charges and judicial punishment. One person “forcing” or coercing another for sexual favors could certainly be considered sexual harassment, and certainly deserves punishment, even criminal.
Yet again, when a general populace is asked, there’s actually a great many (2) who believe it can’t even be stopped. It can be recognized, it can be dealt with, punished, and even solutions implemented to reduce it. But not everyone agrees it is a problem that could be completely eliminated. Some think it simply a natural evil, if one were to use the vernacular. Like storms, or tornado’s or disease, it’s something that just happens.
Most seem to agree that it’s going to happen whenever men and women are “forced” together in any type of situation, workplace or otherwise. This of course doesn’t even touch upon the topic of same sex sexual harassment which logically would exist in as much of a problematic capacity as male female.
Then there’s the issue of punishment, or solution. What can be done about it? If it can’t be completely eliminated, then the next step would be the implementation of severe punishment to at least curtail it, such as with crime. Most believe it’s completely unavoidable, it’s going to happen, but it can be significantly reduced.
But then again, there is a great abundance of discussion even on “who” should be punished, or rather, how lengthy or broad this punishment should be. For instance, in the workplace should the individual culprit be punished alone? Or should the workplace itself or senior leadership be held accountable also? Consensus varies. Some say the individual only, while others say the leadership should share accountability, even the workplace itself in respect to any existent benefits or favoritism for overall good conduct.
At its heart it should be viewed as an act limited to the individual only. One person should be held responsible for their acts. No one made them do anything of that sort, in regard to sexual harassment. A company could realistically be encouraged or even forced by law to implement certain training regimens regarding the subject. But to fully punish anyone but the culprit themselves is to do an end run around justice. And ultimately the problem could realistically be reduced by focusing on morality, and civilized behavior rather than punishment or enforced behavioral patterns. The issue shouldn’t focus on controlling anyone at all, but rather encouraging them or setting a stage wherein they control themselves. Governing oneself should be the topic of discussion and creating a workplace environment wherein self-government is championed should be the focus of attention. Naturally and obviously this would curtail virtually any and every act of malfeasance imaginable, not limited to sexual harrasment alone, but certainly including it.
Realistically there should always be punishment for acts of criminality But there should in equal measure be a concentration of encouragement for morality, moral conduct, ethical self-governance and accountability. Because in any environment in which there is not, it is not simply sexual harassment which might thrive, but every manner of criminal and immoral act will thrive.
If a broader view of the problem were considered, as far as encouraging and rewarding moral behavior, and punishing criminal and immoral behavior then sexual harassment would be curtailed to an almost negligible statistic as would virtually any and every other type of crime or act. And it could rationally be argued that any failure to do so is not only “half assing” the problem/solution dynamic, but even allowing it to remain largely unaddressed in the wider and longer term. Just the simple act of focusing on self-governance, could achieve far more than strict and specific guidelines that try to control behavior.
