Sexual Harassment Crackdown Continues

 Posted on December 28, 2017 in Main

Sexual harassment has recently been in the news more frequently than ever before. Ever since more than 80 women made allegations that film producer Harvey Weinstein had sexual harassed, assaulted, or even raped them, alleged victims of sexual harassment have been reporting incidents all over the country. The latest industry to be scrutinized for its allegedly lax sexual harassment and sexual assault policies is airlines.

A recent report on the incidence of sexual assault on airplanes shows a troubling 66 percent increase from 2014 to 2017. On average, one in five flight attendants have received a report of a passenger-on-passenger sexual assault. Alarmingly, the police were contacted in less than half of these incidents. The push is now for airlines and other industries to establish and enforce clear policies against sexual harassment in order to help prevent further inappropriate and harmful behavior.

American’s Battle Against Sexual Harassment

The sheer number of reports about sexual harassment is certainly concerning, but the silver lining of these allegations is that they brought sexual harassment to the forefront of public consciousness. A recent survey shows that seven out of ten U.S citizens consider sexual harassment “a very serious problem.” This represents a 34 percent increase in this belief compared to 1998. Furthermore, the seriousness of the sexual harassment issue supersedes partisanship. The majority of both Democrats and Republicans favor a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy. Businesses are starting to realize that sexual harassment is unacceptable and that policies and procedures must be in place to help prevent it and to hold those guilty of sexual harassment accountable.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Everyone deserves a workplace that is welcoming and safe. Unfortunately, some people make other employees feel unsafe with their inappropriate sexual behavior. If you have experienced one of the following incidents, you may have been a victim of sexual harassment:

• Another employee or supervisor has offered you promotions or other work benefits in exchange for sexual acts;
• You have been threatened with losing privileges or being fired for not complying with sexual advances;
• Your work colleagues have made sexual, derogatory, or suggestive comments toward you;
• Employees or supervisors have inappropriately touched, kissed, hugged, or otherwise physically engaged with you; or
• Your colleagues have displayed sexually suggestive material in the workplace such as pornography, sexual drawings, or pictures.

Let Us Help

At Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC, our attorneys are sensitive to the trauma caused by sexual harassment on the job. It can be hard to stand up to an employer who has allowed sexual harassment to occur, but with help, it is possible. Contact a skilled DuPage County sexual harassment lawyer to get the assistance you need. Call MKFM Law at 630-665-7300 to schedule a confidential consultation today.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2017/12/28/americans-are-fed-up-with-sexual-harassment-how-companies-can-help-end-it/

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/28/opinions/airplane-sexual-harassment-opinion-drexler/index.html