What To Do If You Feel You’re Being Sexually Harassed

by Amber Kahwaji

Sexual harassment is a very real issue in our society. Sadly, one in three women have been sexually harassed at work, according to the Huffington Post.

When it comes to sexual harassment, it can wear a coat of many different colors and does not always present itself in an obvious manner.

It can start out subtly but that does not make it any less dangerous or wrong. Any form of sexual harassment is not okay, and if you feel you are being sexually harassed here’s what to do.

First thing is first, you must speak up. Although this might sound intimidating, if no one knows what’s going on it makes it very difficult for someone to step in and help.

Sexual harassment doesn’t just happen at work. It can happen while you are out with your friends, while you are grocery shopping, or while you are at the gym.

The important thing to do is to make sure you get yourself to a safe location where you can either call someone for help or ask someone to assist you wherever you might be.

If the harassment is occurring at work, file a sexual harassment claim with the HR department. Some companies even have a sexual harassment hotline available to employees where they can file a claim.

The biggest thing to remember is it’s against the law to discriminate against someone for speaking up about being harassed at work, however, there are statutes of limitations regarding how soon a claim should be filed after the incident in order for corrective action to be taken.

Many people fail to file a claim out of fear of retaliation, however any retaliation against someone who files a claim is unlawful.

If the harassment is occurring outside of the workplace and perhaps by someone who is not a co-worker, the best thing to do is to report the behavior to an outside agency such as the police.

It can also be a good idea to consult with an attorney if the behavior does not stop as there are legal actions you can take to help stop the harassment.

Document everything and save any texts, emails or photos the harasser might have sent. Record audio if you can and make sure to keep a written log of every instance where you were made to feel uncomfortable.