Sexual harassment Essays

Sexual harassment Essays Sexual harassment Essay Sexual harassment Essay Essay Topic: The Second Sex There are several reasons why there must be some sort of a line drawn between what does and does not constitute sexual harassment in the workplace.   The first is to provide a secure workplace environment for all employees.   The second is to protect both victims and potential victims from harassment. And the third is to protect those accused of sexual harassment.   When there is not an acknowledgment of the potential of employees to be sexually harassed, all employees are vulnerable.Imagine a case in which two employees, a male and female, work a few feet from one another. They inevitably get to talking to one another and one day go to lunch together.   The man takes this as her showing romantic interest in him and proceeds to write her long love letters, leave notes on her desk, call her during work hours to flirt, and even goes so far as to come up behind her from time to time and massage her back.   At this point she tells him to stop but he does not.   Is this man guilty of sexual harassment?The problem that presents itself can be known as the â€Å"demarcation problem.†Ã‚   In other words, where does an employer draw the line to claim that one instance is harassment and another, perhaps similar instance, is not?   This distinction should rest on the notion of consent.   By not listening to the woman’s demands to stop, the man is guilty of sexual harassment.   Had the woman consented to everything the man was doing, and let him know her feelings, then to claim that she was being sexually harassed would be wrong. (Soble 2002)Resting a rule of sexual harassment on the notion of consent would protect all employees of the company. The company would be required to let present and future employees know the rule as a condition of employment and once the line was drawn, cases of workplace harassment could be easily decided and hopefully avoided.