Sexual Harassment Through Retaliation and Backlash

Abstract

Sexual Harassment in the workplace has become common knowledge, however once you have filed the complaint the issue becomes publicized most of the time and victims deal with retaliation and backlash. This paper will define retaliation and backlash with Sexual Harassment as determined by EEOC; discuss the event of victims who speak out and become the target of more harassment followed by definitions of Retaliation and Backlash.

RETALIATION AND BACKLASH

Sexual Harassment through Retaliation and Backlash

When you think of sexual harassment victims, retaliation never comes to mind. Victims who speak out about sexual harassment may find themselves subject to more sexual harassment. They may be demoted, suspended, reassigned, or have their hours cut. They may be denied access to resources necessary for them to do their work effectively, or find themselves cut out of the loop regarding work discussions or planning. It has been common knowledge for the above actions to have developed based on retaliation from supervisors and managers at different levels.

Retaliation has occurred when a sexual harassment victim suffers a negative action as a result of the harassment. This can involve such actions as being denied a job, being given poor work evaluations or grades, or being denied professional or academic opportunities such as a position on a project. Supervisors and professors can use their power to see that a victim is never hired again for another job, or never again accepted to another academic program. Threats and attempts at physically harming a victim have been reported (Facts about sexual harassment," 2002).

Backlash could be described as a change in attitude towards the sexual harassment victim rather than a direct action. For example, after a sexual harassment victim files a grievance, coworkers may become hostile to the victim, spread rumors about them, or even shun them.A student who has filed a complaint against a teacher or another student may find themselves isolated, with their friends no longer willing to speak to them. After filing her grievance against

RETALIATION AND BACKLASH

Eveleth Mines, Lois Jenson was shunned by her coworkers both at work and in the small community where they all lived. SHS has received numerous reports of friends and colleagues shunning a sexual harassment complainant after a grievance have been filed.

Backlash and retaliation can follow several scenarios. A harasser's and or colleagues of the harasser may retaliate against the victim because of her/his refusal to submit to sexual demands. Then, they may engineer a backlash campaign (i.e. start spreading rumors about the victim) as further punishment for the rejection. Backlash or retaliation