Answer to Question 1Steps to take if you are the victim of sexual harassment:
1. Say NO in very clear terms. This is not always possible due to fear of reprisals or social power differences, but if you let the harasser or harassers know that the behavior is not OK with you and is unwelcome, it should, by law, stop immediately.
2. If the harassment is occurring within an organization such as an employer or college or university, determine what the official policy is regarding sexual harassment. Most organizations are required to develop written policies that adhere to the law (for an excellent example, see Stanford University's policy at
http://harass.stanford.edu). The policy should include the procedure victims of harassment should take. (Note that it is also illegal for an organization to engage in any form of punishment or retribution toward anyone who reports sexual harassment.)
3. Talk to others you trust about your experiences. This is important because you may find personal support in them, and, in some cases, you may discover that one or more of them has experienced the harassment as well.
4. Keep a record of every incident of sexual harassment, including dates, times, locations, names, and any witnesses, no matter how small some of the events may seem.
5. Save any notes, gifts, text message records, voice mails, and the like, from your harasser.
6. Report the harassment to the appropriate official in your workplace or college or university. This person should be identified in their sexual harassment policy. You may be allowed to make such a report anonymously, and the designated official is required to take action on your complaint. In some cases, you are not required to meet face to face with or make your name available to your harasser.
7. If you prefer, you may bypass your specific organization entirely and report your experience directly, in person or in writing, to the nearest office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education (see
www.eeoc.gov/offices.html or
www.ed.gov).
8. Consult a lawyer. A lawyer will be an effective advocate for you and can advise you of your legal rights and courses of action. You may be able to find a lawyer for a low or no fee through the American Bar Association (
www.abanet.org) or legal aid services (listed in the phonebook) and law schools in your area.
Answer to Question 2Answer: A