When asked why they didn’t report sexual harassment, many people note that they didn’t know that it was even occurring. It can be rather confusing, and the following examples can help give you some idea of what harassment can look like in New Jersey.
1. The use of repeated sexual innuendos aimed at a specific person.2. Comments of a sexual nature that are not wanted or appreciated.3. Requests for participation in sexual acts, or threats if those acts are not carried out.4. Questions that are explicitly sexual in nature.5. Noises and gestures that are sexually explicit.6. Any form of sexual touching. Even minor instances can count, such as tickling or brushing up against another person, especially when verbally asked not to do so.7. Giving a shoulder massage or a neck massage.8. Rating someone’s attractiveness, either positively or negatively.9. Staring at a person in a blatant sexual manner.10. Talking about someone’s sex life behind their back and spreading rumors.11. Name calling.12. Leaving sexual notes, voicemail messages, or text messages.13. Sending pictures that are sexual in nature, over text or social media.14. Putting up sexual pictures, cartoons, calendars or other types of media.
Of course, major things like sexual assault, attempted assault and stalking count as well.
It’s important to note that some of the above aren’t always harassment. For example, a massage, when it is desired and requested, does not constitute harassment, but things change dramatically when that massage is not wanted. If you feel you are being harassed in the workplace, be sure you know what legal actions to take.
Source: Case Western Reserve University, “Examples of Sexual Harassment,” accessed Dec. 22, 2015
