Sexual harassment at work

Sexual harassment is a social phenomenon of multiple and different dimensions, denounced by different organizations and institutions and verified by different investigations that have evidenced the existence, extension and severity in the work environment. The term sexual harassment at work or work sexual harassment It appeared in the seventies in the United States and since then, it is struggled from an equal perspective to eliminate work sexual harassment.

In the phenomenon of sexual harassment, it must be taken into account that it is a situation that the victim does not want, and that as each person determines the behavior that approves or tolerates, that is why a subjective concept. In this complete psychology-online article, you will find everything you need to know about sexual harassment at work.

1. Labor sexual harassment: definition
2. Sexual harassment at work: statistics
3. Concept of harassment or sexual harassment
4. Labor sexual harassment in the Criminal Code
5. Working harassment for gender
6. Types of sexual harassment at work
7. Sexual stalker psychological profile
8. Consequences of sexual harassment at work
9. Prevention and intervention of labor sexual harassment
10. Evaluation of sexual harassment at work

Labor sexual harassment: definition

Although it has been pointed out that in some cases of workplace harass. This difference is that in sexual harass behaviors revolve around sex, And in which the victim of sexual harass.

Both have common characteristics such as the situation of humiliation and attack on the dignity that people suffer in both situations, but sexual harassment It has a specificity for the objective of the stalker's behavior and for the type of behavior. The labor stalker has also been pointed out, unlike the sexual, it always maintains the internal conviction of not having done anything wrong, even after the conviction, however the sexual stalker ends up recognizing that he has performed some inappropriate behavior (Gimeno Lahoz, 2004^[1]).

¿Workplace harassment is gender violence?

Indeed, it is one more form of violence that constitutes a form of intolerable behavior that attempts against the fundamental rights of the person, with a social impact important enough, since the victims, although there are cases in both sexes, in the vast majority they are women. And it could come enhanced by a precarious employment situation (Insht, 1999^[2]).

All this affects working conditions, as an increasingly serious problem for companies. About sexual harassment, and especially about their victims, There is generalized belief, which can be classified as myth, that it is related to beauty canons; However, the problem of sexual harassment has to do, rather, with power relations (INSHT, 2001^[3]).

The frequency of sexual harassment It is repeated, therefore it is not about isolated behaviors. Sexual harassment in organizations is favored by organizational aspects such as the sexualization of the work environment, the proportion of men-women, the type of tasks they perform, sexual discrimination, work climate or the valuation of work (Llaneza Álvarez, 2002^[4]).

On the other hand, the statute of workers provides in its article 4.2 E, that in the relationship of work, workers have the right to respect their privacy and the consideration due to their dignity. This includes protection against verbal and physical offenses of a sexual nature.

Sexual harassment at work: statistics

Sexual harassment can be suffered by both men and women. However, perhaps the woman is the main victim because in the working market Your situation is more than hierarchical or unstable subordination in employment. Sexual harassment mainly affects young women, reduced income, non -professional education, who have been besieged for a long time and only decide to denounce the fact, as a last resort.

The third European survey on working conditions (2000) carried out by the European Foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions, indicated that sexual harassment is not a sporadic phenomenon, since 3% of women were victims of sexual harassment in the previous year to the completion of said survey. If it is taken into account that this percentage is a figure of two million women, the problem charges a dimension of great magnitude. There are more often victims of sexual harassment of women who have precarious jobs.

With respect to men, the percentage that indicates having been a victim of sexual harassment is much lower than that of women. In Spain, the 2000 survey of the Women's Secretariat of Workers' Commissions indicates that 14.5% of workers have lived a situation of sexual harassment throughout their working life.

Work harassment towards women in Spain and Europe

The fourth European survey on working conditions (2007^[5]) points out that sexual harassment affects workers three times more than workers.

Also Czech workers with 10%, Norway with 7%, and Croats and Turks with 6%are the most sexually harassed, while Italian and Spanish workers have an index of less than 1%. In addition the most risk group are women under 30 years. A study by the Women's Institute (2007) shows that 14.9% of working women in Spain have suffered some situation of sexual harassment in the last year, being the most affected, women under 34, single, from extra -community and qualified countries. By sectors, medium or large work centers in construction and industry are those that reflect a higher percentage in sexual harassment.

In relation to the attitude of the company, a scarce 8.3% of women who have declared sexual harassment consider that the company's performance could be described as adequate. Brooks and Perot (1991) pointed out that 88% of university women declared to have witnessed sexual harassment, but only 5.6% admitted having suffered it.

Concept of harassment or sexual harassment

The Dictionary of the Royal Academy of Language defines sexual harassment as "He who aims".

According to the ILO (1995; 1997), so that there is sexual harassment must be integrated three elements:

• A behavior of sexual character
• that Do not be desired
• that the victim perceives him as a hostile conditioning for your work, turning it into something humiliating

Sexual harassment is any type of approach or pressure of both physical and verbal nature, not desired by those who suffer from it, which arises from the employment relationship and that results in a hostile work environment, an impediment to do the tasks and A conditioning of the occupation opportunities of the person persecuted.

The following can be established Behavior levels:

• Mild harassment: jokes, compliments, sexual content conversations.
• Moderate harassment: looks, lascivious gestures, grimaces.
• Average harassment: telephone calls and letters, pressures to leave or invitations with sexual intentions.
• Strong harassment: grocery, hold or corner.
• Very strong harassment: blackmail or both physical and psychic pressures to have intimate contacts.

Sexual harassment includes:

• Physical behaviors of sexual nature that can range from unnecessary touching, 'palmaditas', 'pinches', friction with the body, to the attempt of rape and coercion for sexual relations.
• Verbal behavior of sexual nature as annoying sexual insinuations, propositions, offensive flirting, obscene comments and insinuations.
• Nonverbal behavior of a sexual nature such as exhibiting photos of sexual or pornographic content or sexual written materials or looks with impute gestures.

Sexist harassment cases

Thus, the Sexual harassment cases that are usually described are:

• That some partner approaches too much or invades the physical space repeatedly.
• That some superior or partner presses to maintain relationships or go together.
• That some superior has hinted in labor improvements in exchange for sexual favors.
• Who have suffered assault or sexual assault by someone from work
• That suffer unwanted friction or touching by customers, colleagues or bosses.

Labor sexual harassment in the Criminal Code

The recommendation of the European Community of November 27, 1991, regarding the dignity of women and men at work addresses sexual harassment with the following definition:

"The behavior of a sexual nature or other sex -based behaviors that affect the dignity of women and men at work, including the behavior of superiors and colleagues, is unacceptable if such behavior is unwanted, unreasonable and offensive for the person who It is the object of it, the refusal or submission of a person to said conduct by entrepreneurs or workers (including superiors and colleagues) It is explicitly or implicitly used as a basis for a decision that has effects on the access of said person to professional training and employment, on the continuation of it, the salary or any other decisions regarding employment and/or said behavior creates an intimidating, hostile and humiliating work environment for the person who is the object of it; and that such conduct can be, under certain circumstances, contrary to the principle of equal treatment".

Sexual harassment at work has also been defined as all verbal or physical behavior, of a sexual nature, developed in the field of the organization and direction of a company, or in relation or as a consequence of a working relationship, carried out by a subject who knows or should know that it is offensive and unwanted by the victim, determining a situation that affects the employment and working conditions, and/or creating an offensive, hostile, intimidating or humiliating work environment (Madrid-Region Union of CCOO, 2003).

Even Directive 2002/73/CE defines sexual harassment as the situation in which any unwanted verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature with the purpose or effect of attempting against the dignity of a person, in particular when An intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment is created.

Sexual harassment in Europe

The 1991 Code of Practices on measures to combat sexual harassment that was adopted by the Commission of the European Communities contemplates sexual behavior in a broad sense, pointing out that in sexual behaviors the verbal, nonverbal behaviors or the annoying physical.

• The Verbal behavior of a sexual nature It may include annoying sexual insinuations, propositions or pressure for sexual activity; Insistence for a social activity outside the workplace after it has been clear that this insistence is annoying, offensive; insinuating, indirect comments or obscene comments.
• In the nonverbal behavior of sexual nature The exhibition of sexually suggestive or pornographic photos, of written objects or materials, the impute looks, the whistles or making certain gestures would be included. Organic Law 3/2007, of March 22, for the effective equality of women and men, in Title I, Article 7, says that sexual harassment and harassment are considered discriminatory due to sex.
• Any behavior, verbal or physical, of a sexual nature that has the purpose or produces the effect of attempting against the dignity of a person, in particular when an intimidating, degrading or offensive environment is created; and that constitutes harassment due to sex any behavior made based on the sex of a person, with the purpose or effect of attempting against their dignity and creating an intimidating, degrading or offensive environment.

Working harassment for gender

One of the problematic aspects of sexual harassment lies in those cases in which unwanted behaviors do not lead to a violent action of the first type, but consist of insinuations, proposals, verbal manifestations that also violate the affected worker, but who does it more from a psychic perspective that physical, since violent actions They have a clear Criminal coverage.

Each person is responsible for determining the behavior that approves or tolerates, which makes it impossible to make a relationship of vexatious behaviors. Therefore, the determination of what behaviors are annoying or not is something that depends on the recipient of behaviors, being at this irrelevant point the intentionality of the emission of behaviors. Therefore, sexual harassment consists of the action imposed without reciprocity, unexpected and not well received, frequent and repetitive that a devastating effect can have on the victim.

It may include touching, insinuations, looks, shocking attitudes, jokes with offensive language, allusions to private and personal life, references to sexual orientation, insinuations with sexual connotation, allusions to the figure and clothing, etc. In short, it is about Unexpected behavior, of sexual nature or other behavior based on sex that affects the dignity of the person. Includes verbal or nonverbal, physical and unwanted behavior. There is a range of behaviors that can constitute sexual harassment. That behavior must be unexpected unacceptable and offensive for the recipient. This recipient is usually female, so work harassment usually occurs in women by men.

Types of sexual harassment at work

Two forms or types of sexual harassment at work should be distinguished:

QUID PRO QUO Harass also known as sexual blackmail either exchange harassment (This in exchange for that), carried out by a superior, and that can negatively affect work.

Blackmail or work sexual harassment

In this type of harassment, what is produced is properly a blackmail that forces a worker to choose between submitting sexual requirements or seeing certain benefits or conditions of work harmed. It's about a authority abuse, because it is threats from a higher charge of negative consequences (dismissal, non -renewal of the contract, worse working conditions, etc.) If sexual requirements are not accepted. In other words, it consists of abuse from a position of power to achieve sexual benefits.

The response to harassment serves as a basis, implicitly or explicitly, for decisions related to the access of said person to professional training or employment, to the continuity of the employment contract, the professional promotion, to the increase in salary, etc. (González de Rivera, 2002).

Environmental sexual harassment (Hostile Environment Harassment)

The recommendation of the European Commission refers to a conduct that creates a humiliating, hostile or threatening work environment for the harassed (INSHT, 2001c). That is, environmental sexual harassment is generated when a Hostile and sexual work climate, serious and intense enough to alter the worker's working conditions and create an abusive work environment.

In this type of harassment, the definition is the development of a sexual behavior of any kind (persistent and serious jokes of a sexual nature, allusions or rude comments about the worker's intimate life, requirements to workers to wear sexually insinuating clothes, etc.), which generates a negative work context - intimidatory, hostile, offensive, humiliating - for the worker, which has as a consequence that the worker cannot develop his job benefit in an adequate environment, since he is subjected to a type of type of pressure for sexual behavior at work that ends up creating an intolerable employment situation.

On many occasions, this inappropriate work environment can be accepted as a custom or a normal situation in our culture. A study on sexual harassment in Spain published by Workers' Commissions in November 2000 reveals that sexual harassment can occur among people from the entire labor ranking, both among professionals and among the workers with less qualification. In addition, sexual harassment has no age. It can affect a twenty -year -old girl like a forty worker.

Sexual stalker psychological profile

In the Spanish Criminal Code, the stalker is defined as' the one who requests favors of a sexual nature, for himself or for a third party, within the scope of a labor, teacher or service benefit, continuous or usual, and with such behavior causes To the victim an objective and severely intimidating, hostile or humiliating 'situation'.

In relation to the stalker's profile, the data indicates that it is usually a intermediate control, married man or with a stable partner and with children, In childhood and capricious, cold, macho and with little empathy.

He Victim profile It is not clearly defined, it depends on the person and their employment situation. In the aforementioned study it is observed that some women are more vulnerable than others. Almost thirty percent of the incidents have had workers without contract as protagonists. Therefore, it could be deduced that work precariousness is a risk factor. Another significant fact is that forty percent of victims are separated or divorced. Apparently, having a stable partner generates a certain respect that inhibits colleagues.

Consequences of sexual harassment at work

Although the impact of sexual harassment to a person is moderated by their vulnerability, there is no doubt that it negatively affects both the worker and the production process, since it generates:

• Absenteeism
• Low due to illness
• Lower productivity
• Decrease in the quantity and quality of work
• Less motivation for work

Symptomatology associated with stress is also manifested as Anxiety and depression states, feelings of despair and helplessness, of Impotence, of anger, of aversion, of undervaluation, of low self -esteem, as well as sleep disorders, Headache, gastrointestinal problems, nausea, hypertension, ulcers, etc.

Although the consequences of sexual harassment affect the person against whom harassment is exercised, it also negatively affects workers who can witness or know the problem.

Prevention and intervention of labor sexual harassment

The most effective way to deal with sexual harassment is to prepare and apply a policy in the business field. The measures that the European Commission proposes to deal with sexual harassment are the following (Insht, 2001):

• There must be one Declaration of principles of entrepreneurs In the sense of showing its involvement and commitment in the eradication of harassment, in which sexual harassment is prohibited, and the right of all workers is defended to be treated with dignity, stating that harassment behaviors will not be allowed or forgive and the right to the complaint of the workers will be explained when they occur.
• It will be explained what is meant by Inappropriate behavior And it will be made clear that superiors have the duty to implement the policy against sexual harassment. The declaration must explain the procedure that victims must follow, ensuring seriousness, confidentiality and protection against possible reprisals.
• The possible will be specified adoption of disciplinary measures. The organization of the company must ensure that the non -harassment policy is communicated to workers and that they know that they have a complaint right for which there is a firm commitment not to tolerate sexual harassment behaviors.
• The responsibility of ensuring a respectful work environment It belongs to all workers, recommending the controls that take measures to promote the policy of not sexual harassment. General training must be provided to commanders and managers.
• Those who are assigned specific committed on sexual harassment will have to receive a Special training To successfully perform your functions (legal information on the subject, social skills to handle conflicts, etc.).
• They must exist both formal and informal procedures. Informal procedures seek to solve the situation through direct confrontation between the parties or through an intermediary; Formal procedures seek an investigation of the matter and the final imposition of sanctions if the existence of harassment is confirmed.
• Must be Encourage to solve the problem informally.
• It is advisable to go to the formal procedure when the informal does not work or inappropriate to solve the problem.
• It is recommended that a person be designated to whom they will be formed to offer advice and assistance and participate in problem solving, both in formal and informal procedures; The acceptance of such functions must be voluntary and the union representatives and the workers must agree.
• He claim procedure You must provide workers with the security that their complaints and allegations will be treated seriously.
• The investigations that are carried out must be independent and objective; Researchers should not have any connection with the parties.
• Its convenient that The disciplinary norms clearly collect sexual harassment and corresponding sanctions.
• The inclusion of some article regarding sexual harassment in the collective agreement of the company workers is recommended.
• It is convenient to consult through the different Trade union centrals or aid groups, since they usually have established support systems for the victim.

Evaluation of sexual harassment at work

To carry out the evaluation it will be necessary.

It is also convenient to perform:

• The Socio -labor anamnesis and filiation data (sex, age, seniority in the previous company and companies).
• He Analysis of psychosocial conditions work.
• The Chronological description of the relevant facts for the current situation.
• Personal coping resources.
• The assessment of consequences For the worker victim of labor sexual harassment (personal, labor, family and social).

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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