What is Sexual Harassment?

1. Sexual Harassment is deliberate and/or repeated sexual behavior that is not welcome, and not asked for. There are three forms:
   
   
1. Physical - touching, pinching, and grabbing body parts, being cornered
2. Verbal - making sexual gestures, looks, jokes, or verbal comments, spreading sexual rumors or making sexual propositions
3. Visual - sending sexual notes or pictures, writing sexual graffiti


2. Hostile Environment is any sexually oriented conduct or atmosphere that is intimidating or offensive to a "reasonable victim" who is exposed to the sexual harassment of another person.
   
   
3. Quid Pro Quo means "you do something for me, I'll do something for you" in Latin. Examples of this form of sexual harassment would be trading sexual favors for grades.

The following 3 things have to exist before something is considered sexual harassment:

• The behavior must be sexual in nature and sex-based
• The behavior must be unwelcome and unwanted
• The behavior must be deliberate and/or repeated

Sexual Harassment's Impact on the Individual:

• Emotional Reactions: Anxiety, anger, fear, frustration, insecurity, betrayal, embarrassment, confusion, self-consciousness, shame, powerlessness, guilt, isolation, lack of control.
• Physical Reactions: headaches, sleeplessness, stomach aches, weight gain or loss, phobias, panic attacks, nightmares.
• Social Effects: Withdrawal, fear of new people or situations, lack of trust, self-preoccupation, changes in dress or physical appearance, negative attitudes.
• Academic/ Career Effects: Changes in study or work habits, loss of job or promotion, negative performance evaluations, drop in work performance due to stress, lower grades as punishment for reporting sexual harassment or for turning down sexual advances.