It is fair to note that both men and women can be the targets of sexual harassment in the workplace. It’s naturally unfair to assume that only one gender would be targeted, and every employee — regardless of gender, age, race or any other factor — deserves the same protections. Laws against sexual harassment apply to everyone to the same degree.
That being said, some studies have found that the impact to women could be greater. For example, one study noted that:
— Women were three times more likely than men to have harassment lead to the loss of a job.
— Women were five times more likely than men to transfer as a direct result of harassment that they faced in the workplace.
— Women were nine times as likely to decide to quit after facing sexual harassment.
Clearly, all of these outcomes can have a severe economic impact and could even derail a promising career.
This is more common in some industries than others, experts have found. They warn that it often happens in occupations that have traditionally been dominated by male workers — like the military, the police force and the construction industry. They also warn that it happens even in industries in which female workers are more common than male workers, if those male workers are more likely to hold management positions.
If you’re worried that you’re going to lose your job after experiencing sexual harassment, it’s important to know that you have legal protections. No one deserves to be harassed or to be forced out of a job to avoid such treatment. You need to know your rights and what legal steps you can take to protect yourself.
Source: Feminist, “Sexual Harassment Fact Sheet,” accessed Feb. 03, 2017