What is Sexual Harassment?
Definition
According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, sexual harassment can include: discriminatory comments, behaviour, and touching. It may take the form of jokes, threats, sexual comments, and gendered remarks. It is the impact and not the intention that matters. You SHOULD know what is welcome and what is unwelcome. If you don't know, ask. This is about respecting people's autonomy over their body and their boundaries.
What to Look For:
- Repeatedly asking for dates, not taking “no” as an answer
- Unnecessary physical contact or unwanted touching
- Calling people sex-specific derogatory names
- Sharing sexually explicit content within a workplace, school, or public environment
- Sexual jokes, comments, remarks, and online posts
- Rumors and gossip involving sexual content
Ways to Prevent or Intervene
For Survivors (you know what's best, these are suggestions and they may not work in your situation):
- It's not your fault
- Get informed about workplace or school policy regarding sexual harassment and how to report
- Keep a detailed description of the incidents of sexual harassment, including what happened, where it occurred, when it happened, and possible witnesses
- If comfortable, address the perpetrator’s behaviour
- If confronting the perpetrator is unsafe, uncomfortable, or otherwise traumatizing, seek support from friends, supervisors, or other community members in addressing the issue
For Friends, Family, Co-Workers and Bystanders:
- Refuse to join in
- Tell the harasser their sexual behaviour or jokes are inappropriate and unacceptable
- Interrupt the harassment and help the individual leave the situation
- Encourage and support a victim in reporting the behaviour
If someone you know is engaging in sexual harassment, speak to them directly about how their behaviour is harmful
Resources and Sources of Information
Canadian Association of Sexual Assault Centres.
Canadian Women facts on sexual harassment.