A recent poll taken for ABC News and the Washington post brings to light the various experiences of, and beliefs commonly held by the American people on the subject of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment, which occurs “when one employee makes continued, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, to another employee against his or her wishes”, is a deep-rooted problem in this society. However, what may not be as apparent is the discrepancy in opinions on the topic amongst different groups and types of people.

Concerns: Men vs. Women

According to the poll, when it comes to sexual harassment, men and women seem to have different concerns. While one in four women has experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, and a majority abstain from reporting it out of fear of the repercussions, twenty-five percent of men fear being accused of harassment as opposed to being targeted as a victim.  Although the latter percentage has decreased slightly from thirty-one percent in 1994, the amount of men who fear they may be falsely accused is still quite significant.

Women appear more concerned with being victimized by, rather than blamed for, sexual harassment, and they view harassment as a pervasive problem in the United States today. The gravity of these worries and the fact that they are much different than those held by men likely may be tied to experience.  For instance, while only sixty-four  percent of people overall believe sexual harassment is indeed a crucial issue in this country, a whopping eighty-eight percent of women who have experienced harassment believe this to be the case.

Another apprehension that seems to be shared by both women and men, but for different reasons, is the fear of reporting cases of sexual harassment in the workplace. The number of females who have been subjected to harassment and have taken the steps to report it to their employer has increased from thirty-three percent in 1994 to forty-one percent today. Females are more likely to report incidents of sexual harassment. However, challenges in encouraging both male and female victims to come forward still exist.

Four in ten individuals, who experienced harassment but chose not to report it, feared the repercussions of making a complaint or believed it was a waste of time. Others thought it was “no big deal” or were convinced that the matter would not be handled fairly. While some of these concerns may seem silly, many employees, especially males, may have legitimate reservations. For example, a male station manager for a major national airline reported a female flight attendant’s harassing behavior, but ended up regretting his decision when she convinced their superiors that he had actually come on to her. There is no surefire way to tell whether sexual harassment is declining or whether it is just reported less frequently. However, sexual harassment in the workplace may not be eliminated unless it is reported and/or discussed with a competent Orange County sexual harassment lawyer.

Political Divisions: Republicans vs. Democrats

Statistically speaking, Republicans value sexual harassment, and discrimination against women, as being of less concern than do Democrats. While fifty-three percent of Republicans believe that women face large amounts of discrimination, seventy-five percent of Democrats perceive such unfairness. Moreover, while there is a disparity between the number of men and women who see sexual harassment as a problem, the chasm widens in regards to Republican women who express their disapproval on the topic (63%) and Republican men who agree (43%).

Conclusion

While different people may express different opinions about sexual harassment, most would agree that it should not be tolerated.  Individuals, both male and female, Republican and Democrat, should consult a sexual harassment lawyer in Orange County.  Although the aforementioned poll suggests signs of progress in regards to preventing and eliminating sexual harassment, Orange County sexual harassment lawyers may be able to speed up the process. Diefer Law Group has a seasoned and competent team of sexual harassment attorneys that have handled many cases similar to yours. Call Diefer today and see how they can help you build your case.