3 Ways To Encourage A Sexual Harassment Victim In The Workplace

Posted on: 30 April 2019

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The total number of people who have been victims of sexual harassment in the workplace is a hard thing to count. Because it is severely underreported, sexual harassment is assumed to be one of the most widespread workplace issues. In a lot of cases, you may not be the victim, but you may actually witness an incident or know someone who has become a victim. Even in a situation in which you are not the victim, you have a role to play to make sure the proper steps are taken. Here is a look at a few ways to encourage a sexual harassment victim in the workplace.

Encourage the victim to be brave about the situation.

Sexual harassment in the workplace can make the victim feel really small, almost like they don't have a voice and have no choice but to be quiet about what is taking place. By stepping up and being a friend and confident in the situation, you will be encouraging the victim to have a little courage. They will know that not everyone is against them, which may make them brave enough to speak out about what is going on.

Encourage the victim to report the behavior to management.

Once you have shown your support for the individual who has been victimized, it is important to encourage them to report what took place. It is common knowledge that many sexual harassment incidents go unreported, but sometimes all it takes is a little push to help the victim along. If the victim refuses to talk to management and file a report, don't be afraid to alert management on your own. It is much better to risk your coworker being displeased with you than to risk the potential of continued inappropriate behavior by the offender.

Encourage the victim to talk to a sexual harassment attorney for advice.

Even if you are not able to encourage the victim to file a report about what has taken place, you may be able to encourage them to reach out to a sexual harassment attorney service for advice. It can sometimes be easier to talk about the situation with an outsider who is not affiliated with the employer, and an attorney could be that person. By talking to an attorney, many victims finally realize the importance of properly reporting sexual harassment in the workplace, but they will also get fair representation throughout the ordeal.