Sexual Harassment
Off-color jokes? Centerfolds on the wall? Sexual innuendoes? Fun? No, not necessarily. Sexual harassment? Possibly. It’s a confusing and controversial topic. Think of sexual harassment as a form of communication that can be perceived in different ways: one by the communicator, another by the recipient, and yet another by an “objective” third party.
What Is It?
Sexual harassment takes several forms:
- Unwelcome or coercive sexual advances in exchange for favorable treatment, or under the threat of unfavorable treatment (e.g., grades; jobs; promotions)
- Sexually-related behaviors that create a hostile academic, living, or work environment and interfere with someone’s academic or work performance (e.g., unwanted sexual comments, e-mails jokes,or publicly posted sexual graphics)
- Persistent and unwanted communication of a sexual nature (e.g., in person, by phone or e-mail, or insistent pursuit after a break-up)
- It can involve repeated actions, or one incident if sufficiently severe; can occur between peers, in hierarchical relationships, or between persons of the same or opposite gender; can be subtle or blatant
- If sexual touching is involved it can also be sexual assault
Why It’s Important
Sexual harassment can:
- Create fear and intimidation
- Be an abuse of power or an attempt to control someone else
- Lead to tension or conflict in a community
- Deprive others of the opportunities they came to Stanford to enjoy – to study, work, and live in a supportive environment
Sexual harassment violates university policy and can bring about legal and university disciplinary sanctions.
How To Stop It
- Don’t put up with it (there’s no reason to blame yourself – it’s not your fault)
- Speak up (silence enables harassment to continue toward you or someone else; keep notes, records, and e-mails)
- Tell the person to stop, verbally or in writing (be firm and clear – they’ll often back off ), or give them this flyer
- If you want support, ask a trusted person in authority to assist you (e.g., residential staff, staff or faculty)
Important Tips
- Avoid misunderstandings: when communicating about sexual matters, your style may be different from others’ (what’s acceptable to one may not be to another), if in doubt, check it out
- When someone says,“stop”or expresses uneasiness, respect their limits (ask yourself if you would want your sister or brother to be addressed this way)
- When a relationship is breaking up, formerly endearing behaviors can become offensive, so if your “ex” expresses discomfort, back off, and talk your feelings through with a neutral party
- There are extra risks if you become involved sexually with someone who is in an inherently unequal position (e.g., teacher/student; dorm resident/staff) – consent may be misunderstood, and later, breaking up can have major consequences