When Men Face Sexual Harassment

By Romeo Vitelli (2015)

Having a good personality does not determine a person would not face any
dissatisfactions or problems. This is because in this modern world, almost every workplace in
all countries face harassments. When we talk about harassment, most of the people usually
think that it only happens to women especially in their workplace. Actually, men also have the
tendency to receive harassments in their workplace. According to a recent survey, about one-
third of all working men reported at least one form of sexual harassment in the previous
year. Of the 7,809 sexual harassment charges filed in 2011 with the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commision (EEOC), 16.1 percent were filed by men and still increasing
gradually from time to time (Vitelli,2015). This shows the likehood of men facing sexual
harassment in workplace is higher than what we expect. This proves that not only women face
sexual harassment but also men in the workplace. (Thesis Statement)

Firstly, the increasement chances of men facing sexual harassments. A research study
published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity which is carried out by Kathryn
J. Holland of the University of Michigan and her fellow colleagues, 655 men and women
were surveyed, 326 of them were men who faced sexual harassment. This is because they are
being threatened in many forms if the issue is reported to the higher authorities (Vitelli, 2015).
The average people in the study have been reported experience at least one form of gender
harassment in their working lifetime.. These gender harassments usually happens to men who
are in low ranking in the workforce. This includes telling sexual stories or jokes that were
offensive to them or also insulting them in a form of offensive manner. On another
perspective, The men in the study reported that they had experienced at least one form of
sexual advance harassment before. These were reported after the researchers asked the
respondents themselves, due to afraidness to speak up during the incident happen.Not to
mention, men who deviated from "traditional" stereotypes of masculinity, are likely to
experience harassments especially those who belong to the sexual minority, like having more
of a feminine personalities, or being actively involved in some sort of feminine causes
(Vitelli, 2015).

Secondly, there are various ways how men are being harassed. There are a few
categories of sexual harassment that affects both in terms of emotional consequences and
reduced job prospects. Firstly is sexual coercion which involves bribes which forces workers
to enter into sexual relationship unwillingly with the harasser.. An example can be taken in
which employers threatens who threatens their employees to agreeably perform sexual
relationship. Secondly is unwanted sexual attention. Secondly is unwanted sexual attention
which involves sexual advances unwelcomely in the workplace. These includes sexual
touching and pressuring for intimidating relationship (Wayne, 2013). These can also involve
bribery, in which they pay to have a relationship between the two of them. Thirdly is gender
harassment. It involves hostile behaviour in which it is aimed at undermining employees just
because of their gender. It can be started once those workers did not perform well, hence they
are the victim of being harassed because of their gender. A few examples include denigrating
comments, off-color jokes that are intended to be offensive, mocking, and even violent threats
by the harasser. This shows that all of these forms of sexual harassment will give negative
short term and long term effect on job satisfaction of the victims.

References
Vitelli, R. (2015, May 11). When Men Face Sexual Harassment. Psychology Today. Retrieved
November 10, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-
spotlight/201505/when-men-face-sexual-harassment