Workplace Sexual Harassment of Women as Common as 5 Years Ago

 Posted on October 09, 2024 in Sexual Harassment

Most women will almost certainly find it disheartening to know that the 10th Annual Women in the Workplace report found sexual harassment in the workplace is just as common for women today as it was five years ago. Despite the fact that women in the United States now constitut half the labor market and almost six in 10 college graduates, many women still face sexual harassment in the workplace.

Despite the #MeToo movement to improve the workplace for women, significant challenges remain. Sexual harassment remains commonplace in companies across America, with a staggering 40 percent of working women experiencing some form of sexual harassment. Currently, women under 30 are just as likely to experience sexual harassment in the workplace as those over the age of 30, and only about half of the women surveyed expressed confidence that an employer would take steps to deal with the sexual harassment.  

Illinois has enacted a comprehensive set of laws and regulations to address sexual harassment in the workplace. The Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) prohibits sexual harassment in employment and applies to any employer with one or more employees. Under the IHRA, sexual harassment includes unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and more. If you are facing sexual harassment in the workplace, you need a strong Wheaton, IL sexual harassment attorney from Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC.    

Why Are Many Women Hesitant to Report Sexual Harassment in the Workplace?

Of the more than one in three women who are sexually harassed at work, only one out of four will ever report the sexual harassment to a manager, HR, or anyone else. Women face a range of challenges in the workplace that stem from a fundamental lack of respect. These challenges range from verbal sexual harassment to physical sexual assault. The decline seen in the reporting of sexual harassment by women can be attributed to:

• Female victims experienced retaliation 75 percent of the time after reporting sexual harassment in the workplace.

•  Some women are embarrassed to report workplace harassment, perhaps because women are often told it is their fault when sexual harassment occurs.

•  Many women believe that reporting sexual harassment could adversely impact their chances of promotions or that they might even lose their jobs.

• Since HR often reports to the person causing the sexual harassment, employees often do not trust HR.

• Many women feel like their concerns regarding sexual harassment are not taken seriously.

• If the sexual harassment comes from an executive, manager, or supervisor, women may be tacitly told to ignore it.

Do Perpetrators of Sexual Harassment Experience Meaningful Consequences?

According to women surveyed by the Washington Post and ABC, a staggering 95 percent of sexual harassers go unpunished. Unfortunately, it remains the culture in many companies today that the perpetrators rather than the victims are protected. When a workplace sexual harasser is not punished, they are encouraged to continue those behaviors, while the victims are discouraged from reporting sexual harassment in the future. This is one of the most compelling reasons for a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace to speak to a knowledgeable sexual harassment attorney.  

Contact a DuPage County, IL Sexual Harassment Lawyer

When you choose Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC, you will find our attorneys fully understand how difficult it is to talk about the issue of workplace sexual harassment. We offer suggestions on how to deal with your immediate situation while explaining the process for filing a sexual harassment claim. Speaking to a highly skilled Wheaton, IL sexual harassment attorney from MKFM Law is the best step you can take toward protecting your job and your future. To schedule an initial attorney meeting, call 630-665-7300 to speak to an experienced sexual harassment lawyer who will advocate for your rights.