In the workplace, sexual harassment is defined as unwanted conduct of a sexual nature that affects a term or presents a condition of employment. Behaviors that give rise to sexual harassment charges include demanding sexual favors, engaging in sexual jokes, or making propositions or advances and making graphic comments about an individual’s body, using sexually charged, degrading or vulgar words, whistling, touching or pinching. Office sexual harassment also includes asking suggestive, insulting or obscene comments or gestures and displaying sexually suggestive objects, posters, cartoons, or documents. And also comprises of name calling, gossiping and telling jokes that may be belittling to a person’s gender.

Although women are the frequent victims of sexual harassment in the workplace, there are also instances wherein men are possible victims. In an office setting, the sexual aggressors are mostly the managers, supervisors, co-workers and even customers or clients. These aggressors tend to use their positions or ranks to demand sexual favors to their chosen victim or victims. In the case of clients, canceling important company transactions may be their means to blackmail an employee to give in to their indecent requests.

Whichever situation and whoever executes the violation, the most important key to avoid being placed in a compromising position, is that, from the beginning you should already remember to:

1. Dress appropriately for work. Don’t wear provocative clothes to work; you might give the wrong signals to those who you work with. Although wearing the work attire you choose should also be depending on the current climate, it’s still best to decide on wearing something comfortable but modest enough for work. Sexy and inappropriate clothes often lead to unintended workplace sexual harassment.
   
   
2. Be careful on how you conduct yourself with your workmates. You cannot prevent yourself from being close or chatty with your co-workers of the opposite sex but you also have to put a stop whenever the humorous exchange in conversations would already lead to crossing the intimate line. Allowing them to do this might give them the impression of you inviting them into your own personal space.
   
   
3. Avoid compromising situations. Do not allow yourself to be left in the office alone with a co-worker you think you cannot trust or going out after work with co-workers of the opposite sex who invited you to drink alcohol. Such situations can possibly lead to something you might not want to happen.
   
   
4. Speak up when necessary. Say something if ever you feel that someone has sexually violated you. That person might not be aware that you are not comfortable with the way they come up to you or the comments they gave have already crossed the line. But if speaking up about the problem won’t have any effect on them, then increase the space between you and politely tell them off that you don’t find the closeness or the teasing very entertaining.

What if despite your efforts to stop sexual harassment from happening, you still are being violated? Then it is always better to speak about it to the right person in the company; your employer, immediate superior or your union (if your employer or superior are the aggressors). Remember to document the incident in case you need to testify your encounters during investigations. But the most important thing of all is to know and review your company’s laws and provisions regarding sexual harassment as well as the local government’s say on the issue. In the Philippines, refer to the Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995, which is Republic Act No. 7877 to know your rights pertaining sexual harassment in the workplace.