Every individual has a right to carry out their activities at their place of work or at school without any form of harassment. To this end, there are different forms of abuse. They include physical, mental, and psychological aggravations. Sexual harassment is one of the many forms of violations that an individual can be subjected to in society.
The current paper is written against this background. In the essay, the author creates awareness around the subject matter. More specifically, the paper addresses the issues of identification, report, and prevention of sexual harassment.
According to Young, Allen, and Ashbaker (2004), there is a need to agitate for awareness in relation to sexual harassment in institutions of higher learning. The reason is that this form of abuse is common in the school setting. For example, students may be sexually harassed by their fellow learners or by their instructors. They may also be abused by parties external to the learning institution.
Thesis Statement
Sexual harassment in colleges and universities is more prevalent than many people realize. Many students are subjected to this form of abuse, but fail to report the incidences. The issue should be taken seriously. Consequently, everyone should have knowledge of how to identify, report, and prevent sexual harassment.
Identifying this form of abuse through research, education, and awareness will help alleviate future occurrences as far as students are concerned. The benefits of such an approach are not limited to colleges and universities. On the contrary, such actions will help avert sexual abuses throughout the school system in the country.
Identification
Sexual harassment is a violation of one’s sexual privacy. Such violations are perpetuated without the consent of the victim. Young et al. (2004) define this form of abuse as any sexual behavior that is unwelcome and offensive to the individual. The offense can be verbal or physical. However, it is important to appreciate that in most cases, the victims are unable to report the abuse. The failure is informed by a number of factors.
As already indicated, sexual harassment can take place in any setting. However, institutions of higher learning appear to have more cases of the said offenses compared to other organizations. Victims of sexual harassment present a number of symptoms, which a dean or a school administrator can rely on to identify the said violations. For example, in school, a student may present visible symptoms of distress, confusion, and anxiety.
Under such circumstances, the emotional faculties of the victim are evidently affected (Young et al., 2004). Upon further observation, it is made apparent that the individual affected by such abuses tend to avoid public places where the violations may occur. For instance, a victim of groping will avoid walking in a hallway where such offenders are found. In addition, the self-esteem of the individual is significantly diminished.
How to Report Sexual Offenses
Most victims of harassment do not know how to go about reporting the violation. As such, it is important to create awareness on how to initiate and sustain the process. According to the Law Office of Kevin Schwin (2012), all places of occupation should have a reporting mechanism stipulated in the terms and conditions.
The individuals in these locations should be informed on how to disclose the occurrences. In the case of a school setting, a victim is required to identify the officer tasked with attending to such reports. In most cases, the Dean of Students is the one charged with the responsibility of dealing with such incidences. Thereafter, the dean should facilitate a face-to-face meeting between the accused and the victim.
The victim should ensure that the report is made in writing. The aim is to allow the dean to carry out further investigations. According to the Law Office of Kevin Schwin (2012), the affected individual is required to make their demands regarding the offense known. A written apology is always a proper demand. In the event that an in-house resolution to the offense is not achieved, a legal approach is recommended.
Prevention of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is avoided by many people in any setting. Awareness is essential to ensure the crime is controlled. According to the University of California (2014), continual training among staff and students is important. Such an undertaking helps to sensitize members on possible offenses that constitute sexual harassment.
The said training is necessary since there are cases where people commit acts that may not be ‘intentionally offensive.’ Sensitization should entail classes that create awareness of individual rights. Such settings create a forum needed to promote positive behavior among members of staff and students. A more radical approach would be the introduction of such training in coursework to make sure that awareness is a continuous process.
Conclusion
Sexual harassment is a violation of an individual’s human rights. Learning institutions must ensure that there are internal mechanisms through which such violations are reported and dealt with. The best way to tackle the menace is to support healthy discussions around the subject. Sexual harassment can only be resolved through an inclusive process.
References
Law Office of Kevin Schwin. (2012). How to report sexual harassment at work. Web.
University of California. (2014). University of California policy: Sexual harassment and sexual violence. Web.
Young, L., Allen, M., & Ashbaker, Y. (2004). Sexual harassment. Web.