Week 4-Post 3: Respond To Sexual Harassment

I choose to talk about a section in “Essential Guide to Group Communication” called “Respond to Sexual Harassment” where Dan O’Hair and Mary O. Wiemann talk about some of the causes that lead to sexual harassment which have been problems in recent organizations. According to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines, “sexual harassment as unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors” (68). According to O”Hair and Wiemann, “Sexual Harassment is also characterized as verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature if submission to the conduct is made a condition of employment or if the conduct creates an uncomfortable, intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment” (68). O’Hair and Wiemann talk briefly about some causes which are attraction and power which are the causes for sexual harassment. O’Hair and Wiemann state that communication is another cause for sexual harassment. O’Hair and Wiemann talk about how women and men communicate differently where women might send flirting messages like smiles, eye contact, and touch to indicate interestin a person and men use “nonverbal” behaviors as openings for sexual intimacy. This was just really interesting to me because it went into detail how communication is a big cause of sexual harassment. Sexual Harassment is a big problem in our worlds among students, workers, and other people and will remain a big problem unless people know how to communicate and report when sexual harassment occurs. I feel that this is still a problem because many people don’t report it and O’Hair and Wiemann state, “the victim is reluctant to press charges because the harraser has authority and status” (69).