Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is a form of gender discrimination that typically involves a pattern of unwelcome conduct of a sexual or gender-specific nature that interferes with the education or work of others. Sexual harassment can occur between students, staff, and faculty. It happens in relationships of both equal and unequal power. While both women and men are harassed most victims are women.

Sexual harassment is...

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal, nonverbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment or academic status.
submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for an employment or academic decision.
such conduct has the purpose or effect of interfering with work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or educational environment.

It can be verbal, written or physical and ranges from subtle innuendos of a sexual nature or derogatory gender specific comment to physical exposure, assault, or coerced sexual relationships

Examples of sexual harassment

In appropriate, sexually suggestive notes, letters, poster, or other written communication including e-mail, Instant Messenger, and screen savers.
Sexually suggestive, insulting sounds or gestures.
In appropriate comment or jokes about men or women that denigrates their gender as a whole.
Unwelcome sexual advances or propositions, repeated request for dates following refusal, pressure for sexual activity, requests for sexual favors in exchange for a better grade or a promotion.
Inappropriate unwelcome touching, patting, pinching, massaging, kissing or fondling.

What to do if you are being sexually harassed

Consider talking with a counselor who is trained to assist you with the emotional impact of harassment. A counselor can also assist you in accessing resources. You can contact the VT Women's Center for confidential services. The Women's Center works with both men and women, students, staff, and faculty. For more information go to www.womenscenter.vt.edu

If you are being harassed by a fellow student consider making a Judicial Referral to the Office of Judicial Affairs. Sexual harassment is a violation of University Policy 1025. Information is available at www.judicial.vt.edu.

If you are being harassed by an employer, professor, or staff person consider making a report to the Equal Opportunity Office.

Complaints of sexual harassment, whether by students, or employees can be resolved informally or formally. More information is available at www.eoaa.vt.edu

Sexual Harassment as defined by Virginia Tech

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, non-verbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature, under certain circumstances.

Sexual harassment is reprehensible and will not be tolerated by the university. It subverts the mission of the university and threatens the careers, educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff. Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination, and relationships involving sexual harassment or discrimination have no place within the university. In both obvious and subtle ways, the very possibility of sexual harassment is destructive to individual students, faculty, staff, and the academic community as a whole. When, through fear of reprisal, a student, staff member, or faculty member submits or is pressured to submit to unwanted sexual attention, the entire university suffers.

Sexual harassment is especially serious when it threatens relationships between teacher and student or supervisor and subordinate. In such situations, sexual harassment exploits unfairly the power inherent in a faculty member's or supervisor's position. Through grades, wage increases, recommendations for graduate study, promotion, and the like, a teacher or supervisor can have a decisive influence on a student's, staff member's, or faculty member's career at the university and beyond.

While sexual harassment most often takes place in situations of a power differential between the persons involved, the university also recognizes that sexual harassment may occur between persons of the same university status. Sexual harassment may also occur between persons of the same sex. The university will not tolerate behavior between or among members of the university community that creates an unacceptable working or educational environment. Visit http://www.judicial.vt.edu/upsl.php#harassment for more details.

Adapted from: A Guide to Virginia Tech's Policy 1025, Policy Against Sexual Harassment (online version) or Download a PDF version.

Grant statement: This project was supported by grant # 2001-WA-BX-0001 awarded by the Violence Against Women Office, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of View in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.