Heres How To Call Out Sexual Harassment

Heres How To Call Out Sexual Harassment We interrupt your regularly scheduled sex column to bring you a mora serious topic you may be seeing in the media, hearing about at work and school or experiencing in your life. With so many cases of sexual harassment brought to light, the public is nally becoming more aware of an issue that many of us have faced for a very long time. This is leading to more open discussion, as well as opportunities to educate folks on what sexual harassment looks like.By denition, sexual harassment is any and all unwelcome sexual advances or bullying of a sexual nature, and it can happen anywhere, whether its at your job, school or even on the street. The perpetrator can be any gender and can be a friend, stranger or someone in a position of power.Rainn explains that some forms of sexual harassment includeMaking conditions of employment dependent on sexual favorsPhysical acts of sexual assaultRequests for sexual favorsVerbal harassment of a sexual natureUnwant ed touching or physical contactUnwelcome sexual advancesThe bottom line is this If youre being made to feel uncomfortable by someone saying inappropriately sexual things to you or doing things of that nature, whether in part or online, this is wrong, and you have a right to protect yourself.So, when do you call sexual harassment out? As quickly as possible. This will, of course, depend on your individual situation, but generally, the sooner you do it after the incident takes place, the better. This makes the offender aware that their behavior is inappropriate. If youre reporting it, it can help if you take action to document it immediately. If the harassment is happening online via email or social media, by all means, screenshot the interaction for reference.How do you call sexual harassment out? This depends on the severity of the situation as well as the resources you have at hand. If were talking about catcalling, using sexist language youre not OK with or someone sending you or showing you something you deem obscene, let the offender know. If for some reason they arent aware that their behavior could come across as unacceptable, youve just told them.If the harassment is happening at work or school, please go to the authorities and report it. You can also le a report with your local law enforcement. Bring a friend for support. And if someone in your life is experiencing sexual harassment, be the friend who goes with them. Validate their feelings and support them. Sexual harassment is real, and its time to speak up out about it.This article was originally published on SheKnows.com.Related stories5 Women on the Thrills and Challenges of Working in Tech15 jobs with flexible schedules for busy working momsFlexible part-time jobs for students can seriously offset college expensesFairygodboss is committed to improving the workplace and lives of women.Join us by reviewing your employer