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Cases of Sexual Harassment at Work Place

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Sexual Harassment at workplaces
Introduction
Cases of sexual harassment at the places of work have been on the rise especially over the recent past. Sexual harassment is one of the most exploitive behaviors where power has been misused to victimize others at the places of work by those who hold superior positions in organizations (Shrier, 1996). Sexual harassment can occur to both men and women but more often than not, women are the victims. According to Boland (2002), a research conducted in the 1970s revealed that approximately one out of every two women would become a victim of sexual harassment at her place of work. The vice makes one feel disrespected, humiliated, or offended.
Forms of sexual Harassment
Such conduct is either expressed implicitly or explicitly, a term or condition to one’s employment. Rejection of such conditions by the victim may be used as the basis for employment decision affecting him or her. The purpose of such behavior could also be aimed at creating a hostile and intimidating work environment for the victim (Achampong, 1999).
Sexual harassment can be of quid pro quo i.e. something for something or ‘a hostile environment’ in nature. In both cases, the conduct is unwelcome. In most cases the quid pro quo involves a senior person who has power to make decisions on an employee, depending on whether he or she submits to their sexual demands. On the other hand, a hostile environment is established when the working environment is offensive and intimidating, making the working conditions of the victim unconducive (Boland, 2002). Sexual harassment could also be in the form of asking sexual questions, making sexual comments such as making sexist or insultive comment about someone or his or her character, sexual teasing, making sexual jokes, making unacceptable sexual advances or requesting for sex, sending explicit materials such as emails

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