What is Harassment?
Harassment is a form of discrimination that involves unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating a person’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating, or offensive environment for them. This behavior can be verbal, non-verbal, physical, or online.
Types of Harassment
- Verbal Harassment: Includes insults, threats, offensive jokes, and derogatory comments.
- Non-Verbal Harassment: Includes gestures, facial expressions, and suggestive behaviors.
- Physical Harassment: Includes unwelcome touching, assault, or physical intimidation.
- Online Harassment: Includes cyberbullying, trolling, and sending threatening messages through digital platforms.
Examples of Harassment
1. A coworker consistently makes sexist remarks towards a female colleague.
2. A student is constantly bullied by their peers through social media platforms.
3. An individual experiences unwanted physical advances from a stranger.
Case Studies
1. The Harvey Weinstein case: The Hollywood producer was accused of sexually harassing multiple women over decades, which led to the #MeToo movement.
2. The Amanda Todd case: The Canadian teenager committed suicide after being cyberbullied for years.
Statistics on Harassment
– According to a survey by the Pew Research Center, 41% of Americans have experienced online harassment.
– The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received over 7,500 sexual harassment charges in 2018.
– A study by the American Psychological Association found that nearly 50% of women and 20% of men have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace.
