Harassment is most often practiced by men who are in higher hierarchical positions. Sexual harassment in the work environment is characterized by embarrassing compliments, sexual comments, or even acts that sexually abuse women’s bodies. This type of practice often comes from men in higher hierarchical positions.
The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office has a booklet that helps identify harassment and shows how to proceed in such cases. The document defines sexual harassment as “embarrassing colleagues through constant flirting and insinuations to obtain sexual advantages or favors. This attitude can be clear or subtle, spoken or just insinuated, written or made explicit in gestures, come in the form of coercion or, even, in the form of blackmail.”
According to a study launched by the Think Eva platform in 2020, 47% of respondents claimed to have been victims of these situations. The survey, which took into account remote and face-to-face work, also shows that about 78% of women do not report cases precisely because of impunity. In addition, 15% of victims resign from work.
The data also indicate that black women represent 52% of the victims. Workers earning between two and six minimum wages represent 49% of cases. The numbers help to understand that this systematic behavior is also based on social inequality and structural racism.
Reporting or How to Report Sexual Assault in Prison in NY is the first step for the aggressor to be punished. For the victim to feel safe in denouncing, there must be a network that welcomes and informs this woman.
The complaint can be made at the company’s ombudsperson, at the union, or even at the women’s police station or at a common police station. The complaint can also be made at the Labor Superintendence Agencies and the Public Defender’s Office. If you are a witness to a case of sexual harassment, you can also report it through the same channels.
The victim must gather all possible evidence to present at the time of the complaint, such as witness statements, WhatsApp messages, other applications, emails, tickets, and gifts, among others. If the case reaches the Labor Court, based on a complaint by the victim against the company, the aggressor can be prosecuted and pay the expenses in case the company has financial losses. If criminally punished, the harasser can face one to two years in prison. Meet a good lawyer like Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm for example in this case.
Guidelines for consistently documenting reports of bullying or sexual harassment:
write down harassment situations, reporting details such as day, time, place, name(s) of the person(s) involved and witnesses, alleged motives, and the content of conversations, among other relevant information;
keep physical documents (tickets, notes) or electronic documents (emails, messages) that can serve as evidence; seek help from others, especially those who witnessed the events or experienced harassment.
