Examples Of Sexual Harassment
Most examples of sexual harassment used in workplace policies come from a single category, physical conduct, and that narrows what people think the term covers.
- Verbal. Comments on appearance, sexual jokes, innuendo, intrusive questions about someone’s private life.
- Non-verbal. Staring, leering, gestures, displaying sexual images or leaving them where they will be seen.
- Written and digital. Messages, emails, memes in a group chat, posts or comments about a colleague.
- Physical. Unnecessary contact, brushing past, hugs or touching framed as friendly.
Three of those four leave no visible mark and are the ones most often dismissed as banter. They are also, by volume, where most reported conduct sits.
A policy that only illustrates the fourth category teaches staff a definition narrower than the law’s, and people apply the definition they were given. The Australian Human Rights Commission sets out the actual test. This is general information rather than legal advice.
See Sentrient’s sexual harassment course and workplace policy templates.
The Duty of a Supervisor and Manager to Eliminate Sexual Harassment in The Workplace
What Is Sexual Harassment? Sexual harassment is defined as any unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favours, or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature in circumstances in which a reasonable person, having regard to the circumstances would be offended, humiliated or intimidated. To be sexual harassment, the conduct must be: unwelcome; of a […]
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