A recent case highlighted by a Malaysian law firm, Donovan & Ho shared that calling a colleague sayang (darling/sweetheart) can be a form of sexual harassment. While the case itself had more details to it, it begs the question - what counts as sexual harassment? Here are some of the red flags to look out for while you're at work.
1. Physical contact
Patting, hugging and kissing may be more obvious as a form of physical contact that not everyone is comfortable with. However, touching or pinching that may seem friendly can appear to be an invasion of someone’s personal space.
2. Sexual jokes, gestures and language
Cracking jokes with a group of colleagues during friendly banter is completely normal. However, be mindful of sexual jokes, gestures and language. That’s a BIG no-no as it can bring about discomfort and a strong feeling of uneasiness.
3. Return favours with ‘favours’
This is the ‘Okay, I helped you with work the other day. In return for the favour, go on a date with me or else’ scenario. These ‘favours’ not only include forced dates, they can sometimes lead to forced sexual activities. Unfortunately, this tactic is often used by superiors.
4. Sharing inappropriate sexual content
If a colleague has ever shared pornographic or explicit content in the form of videos, images or text messages to you, take a deep breath as you calm yourself from a blend of anger and disgust. Raise the incident to your superior or the HR department. Sharing inappropriate sexual content counts as visual sexual harassment.
5. Fearing the consequences of reporting
Are you feeling uneasy to share your discomfort stirred by a colleague? This could also be a sign of sexual harassment. Comments such as ‘She is no fun’ or ‘She’s just bringing unnecessary trouble to the office’ often lead women to endure years of sexual harassment at work. Don’t subject yourself to this. Keep calm and voice out the truth. You're doing the right thing.
Sexual harassment is a concern to both men and women. While it may be difficult to stop it overnight, we can do our best to prevent it from happening and also to not be enablers of sexual harassment. While at work, it is best to create awareness by educating everyone through corporate training on sexual harassment. We can also create a healthy work culture where the HR department regularly monitors the whole team for any signs of uneasiness or harassment.
댓글