How Can One Tell if it's Really Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can involve many things and can range from unwanted advances to outright sexual abuse or assault. Sexual harassment can create a hostile work environment and can severely affect the work of the employee being harassed. To be considered sexual harassment the behavior must be severe and pervasive. Once a person makes it clear that they do not welcome the advances of another, the person making such advances must stop the unwelcome behavior or they may find themselves caught up in a charge of sexual harassment which is illegal. Sexual harassment may be verbal, nonverbal, physical, written, or visual. It can also involve power where an employee feels that if they don’t comply to a superior’s advances, they may feel that they will be demoted or even actually lose their job.