Half the time, you feel like you’re working with a bunch of adolescents – because the banter around the workplace is so juvenile and sexually charged. When you complain to your co-workers and your boss, you hear things like, “It was just a joke!” and, “Don’t be a poor sport!” or even, “This is how we bond!”
If this sounds familiar, you may be the victim of sexual harassment and a hostile work environment.
When small things pile up
Individually, the comments and innuendo you’re constantly exposed to may not seem like much, but when the conduct becomes severe and pervasive, it can leave you feeling intimidated or abused. The stress from the situation and the incidents may prove a constant distraction, too, that interferes with your ability to function.
If your employer makes it clear that they won’t do anything about the situation and you just have to “learn to put up with it” if you want to keep working there, then you may very well be trapped in a hostile work environment. Hostile work environments related to sexual harassment can be created through:
- Offensive jokes, pranks or innuendo of a sexual nature
- The use of sexual slurs or “nicknames” for co-workers and clients
- Insults, challenges and mockery regarding one’s sexual preferences or activity
- The retelling of sexual escapades or bragging about sexual prowess
- Offensive objects of a sexual nature or sexualized photos
Jokes are supposed to be funny – and there’s nothing funny about comments that make you feel uncomfortable or threatened. Don’t let someone else gaslight you into believing that you’re the one with a problem. Legal guidance can help you decide your next move.
