What is sexual harassment?
Other than referring this to a sexual violation, discrimination or crime against the will of another person, the following are manifestations of a sexual harassment :
- The person is asking you to do things or reject things for his own advantage so that he may advance or avoid what he dislike in his work, education, training, service, plans or other activities.
- To display or broadcast by means of messages, drawings, sounds, photographic images or other ways; to discriminate, use abusive words or other methods that would hurt other people’s personal dignity, or cause other peoplel to live in fear, a feeling of hostility or insult; or an improper act to interfere other people’s work, education, training, service, plan, activity or normal livelihood performances (sex harassment prevention Article 2).
If you have unfortunately been sexually harassed, what should you do?
A person with a tendency to commit sexual harassment normally becomes a molester if the victim continuously ignores him or patiently deals with him without saying anything or does not pay attention (like play deaf or does not understand) or escape (by voluntarily moving to another place.) ,etc. If you encounter this kind of person, adopt the following actions to avoid being sexually harassed:
- If the situation permits, you may try to communicate with the one involved (perpetrator):
Face to face, through correspondence, or a third person that both parties can trust, and clearly inform the person of your uneasiness and request him/her to stop his actions immediately.
- If the situation does not improve; you should then adopt the control-the-situation strategy:
Tell your relatives, friends or associates you can trust about the incident and the impact the incident has on you.
Record the sexual harassment incident: Record in detail the full incident; for example, your attempts to try to stop the sexual harassment; and what you had done to resist or to deal with it. If you have not done anything, why? what is your feeling, and to what other extent it has affected you. List down eyewitnesses; describe the eyewitness response, record in detail each time the event occurs including date and location. Write down the incident as soon as it has occurred and keep them for record purposes.
Collect evidences (such as: sound recording of the person involved)
Seek legal relief: such as filing of criminal prosecution, civil compensation, or administrative case (file an appeal or apply for mediation)
