There are two main kinds of sexual harassment: · Unwelcome sexual advances, or requests for sexual favors, that are implicitly or explicitly factored into decisions about grades (or internships or job-related opportunities). This kind of harassment is often called "quid pro quo." · Unwelcome advances, or other behavior of a sexual nature (e.g. remarks about sex not pertinent to the subject being studied, posting of sexual pictures in an office or on an academic honors society's website), creating a "hostile environment." It is the impact of the behavior in question, not its intent, which is used to determine whether or not it constitutes sexual harassment. Sexual harassment creates confusion because the boundary between professional roles and personal relationships becomes blurred. The difference between voluntary sexual relationships and sexual harassment is that harassment contains elements of coercion, threats, and/or unwanted attention in a non-reciprocal relationship. Sexual harassment is usually repetitive, but in some instances a single occurrence can be deemed harassing behavior. Myth: If you ignore sexual harassment, it will go away. Myth: Sexual harassment is a joke. Women who object have no sense of humor. Myth: Sexual harassment only happens to women who dress or act in a certain way. Your department chair or supervisor Director, Center for Women and Men Office for Equity and Diversity Associate Dean for Women (Health Sciences) Student Counseling Services
I didn't think anything about giving my TA my phone number until he began calling me at really strange hours, like one o'clock in the morning. He'd start by asking how I was doing with my project, and then he'd ask whether I was with someone. I didn't know what to say. I was by myself in my room, but I wasn't sure I wanted him to know that.
Sexual harassment has more to do with power than sex. It occurs when someone with power--a professor, a TA--abuses that power, breaching the trusting relationship that normally exists between students and others in the academic community.
Myth: If she'd just said "No," he would have stopped.
Fact: Many harassers are told "No" repeatedly, and it does no good.
Fact: No, it won't. Generally, the harasser is a repeat offender who will not stop on his own. Ignoring it may be seen as tacit encouragement.
Fact: Harassment is degrading. It undermines academic careers and threatens people's livelihoods. "Humor" that depends on humiliating someone to make its point is not funny.
Fact: Sexual harassment can, and does, happen to anyone. Although most reported instances involve men harassing women, sexual harassment can occur within any gender combination.
If you are being harassed
It's not your fault. Sexual harassment is not something someone "asks for" or "deserves."
Act quickly. Waiting for it to stop only makes it more difficult to take action.
Tell someone about it. Staying silent lets the harasser continue, and can make you feel isolated.
Communicate your dislike of any behavior that makes you feel uncomfortable. Say, "I'd prefer that our relationship remain professional." "That wasn't funny."
Tell someone who is in a position to take action (a department chair, the Center for Women and Men).
Educate yourself about your options.
If you are in a position of power
Remember that you can set a positive example. Speak up when you see a colleague engaging in inappropriate behavior. Create an atmosphere in your department where discrimination is not tolerated.
Remember that the things you say, not to mention your body language, can communicate things you don't mean. A compliment about someone's appearance may be well intended, but may not be appropriate in the school and professional setting.
Remember that your position can make you seem intimidating to a student, even if you don't think there's anything intimidating about you! They'll be hesitant to say that they feel uncomfortable with anything you do when it's their grade or academic future that's at stake. They'll choose a less direct approach like missing class.
Learn to be sensitive to people's unspoken discomfort.
Learn to be aware of cultural differences. Standing close to someone, joking, and inviting out-of-class social contact may be interpreted in ways you don't intend.
Learn to provide mentoring opportunities that minimize possibilities for discomfort. And take particular care to monitor class projects that involve students working in twos or threes.
Lori Strauss, (213) 740-4900
For concerns relating to university employees, (213) 740-5086
Dr. Raquel Arias, 323.442.2554
213.740.7711
But now I'm having a hard time finishing my project. I don't want to ask him for help. I feel like he'll expect me to go out to dinner with him if I want him to give me a good grade. And that doesn't feel right. But he does all the grading, and I really need that good grade . . .
Then one day in class, he asked me to stay behind after the other students had left. He told me that he thought my project was looking really interesting, and that he wanted to help me make it really good. As he said that, he put his hand on my arm and gave it a little squeeze. He said maybe we could have dinner after class one day and talk some more about it. I figured he was just trying to be friendly, so I didn't say anything. But it made me uncomfortable, and after that I decided I wouldn't talk to him unless there was a group of people around.
But then she just lost interest. She stopped coming to class, or she'd arrive late. I thought maybe something was wrong. Perhaps her boyfriend was leaving her, or something. She'd disconnected her phone number, so I assumed he must have been bothering her. But she just wasn't around enough for me to be able to ask her for her new number.
Now she's just handed in her project. She's hardly done any work on it since we last talked, several weeks ago. It's such a shame, because she was doing so well up until then. But there's no way I can give her more than a D for this. Hope she wasn't planning on going to graduate school!