Sexual harassment doesn’t have to take the form of catcalling or overtly sexual comments. Nor does sexual harassment always include physical contact such as touching or groping. There are subtle yet legitimate forms of sexual harassment that some people are unaware of.
If you experience any of the subtle forms of sexual harassment as detailed below, do not keep those transgressions private. You owe it to yourself and other potential victims at your workplace to report sexual harassment of all forms and degrees to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and your employer’s human resources department.
1. Excessive Staring
Staring is inappropriate in all settings. Obsessively staring at someone while at work is a subtle form of harassment. However, excessive staring is rarely reported to human resources as there is a general misconception that it is permissible.
In particular, ongoing staring from someone who made an advance toward you is an ongoing form of harassment. You deserve a work environment in which coworkers are not constantly looking you up and down. Nor should you be made to feel like an object in any other way. As an example, if a coworker records you with their smartphone while you are working, it is an act of harassment.
2. Jokes With Even Slight Sexual Innuendo
Jokes and other forms of potentially offensive or sexually-charged comedy should be restricted to non-work settings. The workplace is a formal setting where coworkers need to be professional at all times. Though some jokes with sexual innuendo might be funny to most, there is a good chance at least someone will be offended. Furthermore, conversations about sex and even slight sexual innuendo during dialogue should be avoided.
If you feel as though a joke, comment, or overarching workplace discourse is offensive, it is likely a form of sexual harassment that should be brought to the attention of the EEOC and your employer. The bottom line is you should not be subjected to a hostile work environment characterized by attempts at comedy that include even slight sexual innuendo. Nor should you be subjected to sexual references or the intimate details of coworkers’ personal lives.
3. Displaying Offensive or Sensitive Material at Work
Sexually-charged material such as semi-nude or nude calendars or other sensitive imagery is inappropriate and offensive. Even if the material in question is not directly presented to a specific employee, its mere presence in the workplace constitutes a form of subtle yet very real sexual harassment.
Moreover, even imagery that isn’t seen with regularity, such as computer desktop wallpaper or a screen capture with sexual imagery, also has the potential to be considered offensive. If a coworker presents such graphic material within the view of others, it is a legitimate form of sexual harassment that should be brought to the attention of human resources. Even a slightly, sexually charged email message forwarded to a coworker constitutes a subtle form of harassment.
4. Social Media and Other Online Stalking
The sexual harassment of a coworker sometimes occurs outside of normal working hours and the workplace setting. Stalking an individual online is a very real form of sexual harassment. If anyone from work sends you inappropriate messages, videos, or pictures, or even makes a sexually-charged comment on a social media post, report it to HR right away.
You should not be subjected to online stalking on any of the top social media platforms, including the following:
- Meta (Facebook, Instagram)
- X (Twitter)
- Snapchat
- TikTok
Nor should you be subjected to text messages or phone calls from a coworker after work hours unless you provide consent.
5. Lingering at One’s Cubicle or Other Personal Workspace
Use your mind’s eye to envision a coworker brushing up against you when teaching you how to use computer software. Slight brushing, touching, or other forms of physical contact are subtle forms of sexual harassment. Even loitering at another coworker’s cubicle or other workspace in close vicinity to that person can constitute a form of sexual harassment.
6. Flirting
Flirting is only acceptable when someone receives consent. The absence of consent creates an opportunity to claim sexual harassment. If you make it clear you are not interested in socializing or becoming the significant other of a coworker, that individual should cease all non-work related communication. Additional flirting or other forms of romantic advances after denial is a legitimate form of sexual harassment.
Even making a sexually oriented motion or gesture toward another at work is a form of sexual harassment. As an example, a coworker who makes a thrusting motion in your vicinity is sexually harassing subtlely.
7. Comments About Your Appearance
You should not be subjected to vocal or written criticisms of your physical appearance when working. Unless a workplace superior is criticizing your appearance for failing to meet workplace attire standards, the commentary is unwarranted.
Comments about how your physique looks in certain clothing, your body shape, type, or muscle tone constitute sexual harassment. If you are unsure as to whether the feedback is a compliment or harassment, assume it is the latter and file a formal complaint with the EEOC and your workplace’s human resources department.
FAQ
Q: Does sexual harassment at work extend beyond direct touching?
A: Yes. Light brushing, stroking, or touching constitutes sexual harassment. Even comments about sex or one’s appearance are a form of sexual harassment.
Q: Are any jokes with sexual references acceptable at work?
A: No. If your coworker tells a joke with even slight sexual innuendo, it is a form of harassment and should be reported to your human resources department without delay.
Q: Is anyone allowed to talk about my body, clothes, or personal appearance?
A: Non-sexual comments about your appearance might be acceptable, especially if they are compliments. However, if you feel even slightly offended by others’ comments about your hair, body, shape or other physical features, report it to human resources as sexual harassment.
Q: Is it permissible to passively flirt with others at work?
A: In most cases, no. However, if the individuals doing the flirting are in a relationship, it might be considered acceptable. If someone at work flirts with you and you have no interest, communicate your disinterest right away. Report the incident to human resources to make them aware of the situation.
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