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Even though every case is unique, there are still many common common reasons why women do not report sexual harassment in the workplace.
An online survey done by stopstreetharassment.org in January of 2018 showed that 38% of women experienced sexual harassment in the workplace. Despite this high percentage, many do not report them to their Human Resources department. Why?
These are the 5 most common reasons women do not report sexual harassment in the workplace.
1. Shame
Being a victim of sexual harassment can be extremely emotionally draining and traumatic. It’s common for individuals to feel shame after being the victim of sexual harassment. They may feel violated, abused, or humiliated. It’s also natural for victims to feel helpless when they must then depend on others to assist them with dealing with the harassment or abuse. Even if a victim doesn’t want to, it’s common for them to blame themselves for the harassment instead of the harasser. They often get stuck in their own minding thinking that maybe they behaved in some way that made them responsible for the abuse or harassment. This often keeps them from speaking up about the incidents and keeps them from reporting it.
2. Minimizing the harassment
Victims commonly try to downplay the sexual harassment as a coping mechanism. If, in their heads the harassment wasn’t actually that bad, then they don’t have to report it and make it into a real and serious situation. They may try to compare their situation to other people’s situations in the news and tell themselves that they don’t have it that bad. By doing so they don’t have to deal with the possible consequences of reporting the harassment.
3. The idea that nothing will come of it
The feeling of hopelessness is another common reason many victims of sexual harassment do not speak up or report the conduct. When a victim feels helpless and as though nothing will come of reporting the harassment, they will talk themselves out of it. This hopelessness is a conditioned response that is a result of a harasser or abuser constantly making the victim feel powerless and trapped.
4. Fear of retaliation
Many victims fear that they may lose everything they’ve worked so hard for at their place of employment if they speak up. If their harasser is someone who is popular, the victim may lose their social circle, they may lose their respect, they may lose their position, or even their job. They may also fear for their lives if the harasser has threatened them with violence if they speak up.
5. Shock
If a victim is in disbelief that the harassment is occurring, they may be unwilling to address it and report it. Unwanted touching or inappropriate comments can catch a person off-guard and take them a while to process the situation. It may even take a victim therapy in order to fully understand what happened to them. By that point, they may feel that it has been too long to report it.
Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace should consult with an employment attorney if they suffer from any of the above. An attorney is an outside figure who can help you learn about your rights and what steps you can take if you suffered sexual harassment, discrimination or retaliation at your job.
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