Men can be victims of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment occurs when anyone is made to feel violated by the actions of another person. Sexual harassment in the workplace violates worker protections in every state. No matter if the person is male or female, it is always beneficial to both report these instances and get justice for them. Talk to a San Francisco sexual harassment attorney at The Armstrong Law Firm today.
What Does Sexual Harassment Mean?
The term sexual harassment can apply to both the way men and women are treated. It could refer to the way a customer, manager, coworker, or other person is harassing you in some way because of your sex. This can range widely, such as unwanted touching or making statements about your sexual identity. Both men and women can experience this in various ways. Here are some examples:
- Crude and offensive jokes are made about a person in the workplace setting.
- A person’s employment, promotion, or pay depends on whether the person is female or male.
- A person makes a lewd statement about your appearance.
- A person is threatened with some type of work-related consequence if they do not meet sexual requests.
- Someone places sexually explicit materials in an email, on a computer, or sends it in a text message.
In situations like this, a person may be treated in a manner that is not desirable. They may be made to feel like they must engage, or they may face consequences related to their job, title, or presence at the job in general.
Keep in mind that sexual harassment of men can occur in various ways:
- Physical with the touching of another person in a sexual manner
- Verbal, which can include making statements or threats
- Visual, including exposure to videos or even displays of genitals
It is also important to note that unwanted sexual-related conduct could be from a person above them, a customer or client, a business partner, or another employee. It may be from a woman or another man.
What Makes Sexual Harassment for Men More Challenging?
If you are a male victim of sexual harassment, you may find it challenging to come forward due to stigmas around doing so. Many men feel as if they will be ridiculed for such actions. Some also feel they may be less likely to receive a promotion or to be treated in a positive way if they approach an employer or manager about this type of experience.
Both men and women can be exposed to sexual harassment as well as sexual violence in a work environment. It is never appropriate for a person to be treated in this way, and no sense of shame or guilt should be applied if they seek help with this type of claim.
If you feel you were harassed in the workplace by anyone, it is your right to take legal action. It can be critical to do so to protect yourself from further abuses and not to feel like your job is on the line as a result of the actions you take.