The Facts That Constitute Sexual Harassment – Lauretta Onochie
The fact is that most of us do not KNOW what constitutes sexual harassment-
Educate yourself and play safe.
■ Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that creates a hostile or offensive environment.
■ Here’s a more detailed explanation:
●UNWELCOME NATURE:
The key element is that the behavior is not wanted or desired by the recipient.
●SEXUAL HARASSMENT CAN INCLUDE:
Unwelcome sexual advances: This includes unwanted physical contact, gestures, or verbal comments of a sexual nature.
●Requests for sexual favors: This can involve pressure or coercion for sexual activity in exchange for employment benefits or other advantages.
●Verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature:
This can include offensive jokes, slurs, epithets, or name-calling, as well as physical assaults or threats, intimidation, ridicule, mockery, insults, or put-downs.
■HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Sexual harassment can create a hostile or offensive work environment when the behavior is pervasive, severe, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or abusive atmosphere.
■EXAMPLES:
●Unwelcome sexual comments, jokes, or innuendoes.
●Continuing to ask for a date or sex after someone refused.
●Pressuring someone for sexual activity.
●Talking about a person’s body, clothing, or sexual orientation.
■WHO CAN BE A HARASSER?
•Supervisors
•Co-workers
•Non-employees, such as clients or customers
•Male and Female
■LEGAL FRAMEWORK:
Nigeria has laws and legal frameworks to address sexual harassment, including the Constitution of Nigeria, federal laws, state laws, and international instruments.
●The National Industrial Courts have been commended for their innovations on workplace sexual harassment through their judgments and rules of court. Good job.
💢But we need to go further with enforcements of such laws and constitutional provisions in social settings too.
💥God bless Nigeria.
Lauretta Onochie
@Laurestar .
