Sexual harassment is unwanted behaviour of a sexual nature which:
- violates your dignity
- makes you feel intimidated, degraded or humiliated
- creates a hostile or offensive environment
You don’t need to have previously objected to someone's behaviour for it to be considered unwanted.
This unwanted sexual conduct can happen:
This unwanted sexual conduct can happen:
- In person,
- On the phone,
- By text
- Email, or
- Online.
Both the harasser and the victim/survivor can be of any gender. There also does not need to be a victim involved, for example it could be directed towards a group, such as all women or all; men, or if could be something someone overheard people talking about at work or at university.
It is also the person receiving the sexual behaviour who decides if it is unwanted not the other ways around.
Sexual harassment can include:
- Sexual comments or noises – for example, catcalling or wolf-whistling.
- Sexual gestures.
- Leering, staring or suggestive looks. This can include looking someone up and down.
- Sexual ‘jokes’.
- Sexual innuendos or suggestive comments.
- Unwanted sexual advances or flirting.
- Sexual requests or asking for sexual favours.
- Sending emails or texts with sexual content
- Sexual posts or contact on social media.
- Intrusive questions about a person’s private or sex life.
- Someone discussing sex.
- Commenting on someone's body, appearance or what they’re wearing.
- Spreading sexual rumours.
- Standing close to someone.
- Displaying images of a sexual nature.
- Unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature – for example, brushing up against someone or hugging, kissing or massaging them.