H for Harassment
Sexual harassment is any unwanted behaviour that makes someone feel upset, scared, offended or humiliated or is meant to make them feel that way. This means that even if the target didn’t feel that way, the harassment still happened.
Sexual harassment can take many forms, it might be wolf-whistling, making sexual gestures, leering at someone or ‘looking someone up and down.’ It could be unwanted sexual advances over social media, sending ‘dick pics,’ upskirting or spreading sexual rumours. It includes unwanted physical contact like kissing or brushing up against someone – which count as sexual assault in English and Welsh law. It can also include stalking and indecent exposure.
Sexual harassment is a form of unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
Sexual harassment might happen just once or over a period of time. This can be really difficult when it happens in the workplace or on a works’-night-out. You might have been told that you are being ‘unreasonable’ or ‘too sensitive’ or that you ‘can’t take a joke.’
Sometimes a person might say they were ‘only flirting with you.’ But flirting goes both ways and both people should enjoy it. If it is not fun or wanted, it is harassment.
It doesn’t matter if it’s verbal, physical, online or IRL if someone is behaving towards you in a sexual way and you don’t want it, it’s illegal and you deserve support.
