Sexual harassment is, unfortunately, pretty prominent in workplaces worldwide. And to make matters even more challenging, statistics show that employers and upper management are generally the culprits, which often leaves the victimized employee wondering if their career will be put at risk when speaking out.
In cases where a colleague is a culprit, mitigating the workplace hostility is substantially easier as enough evidence will have the guilty party relieved of their position. On the other hand, these practical strategies will help you handle sexual harassment in the workplace while still keeping your professional reputation intact.
1. Consult a sexual harassment lawyer
The most proactive effort you can make to cope with the situation at work is to consult a San Diego sexual harassment attorney or a sexual harassment attorney in your area. Your sexual harassment attorney will know just how to handle the situation without harming your professional reputation.
When hiring a suitable sexual harassment attorney to handle your case, consider legal practitioners that specialize in this area. Also, choose one that makes you feel comfortable.
2. Document your experience and gather evidence
Merely confronting the culprit in this situation is not recommended, as sexual predators are generally unpredictable individuals, which could put you at risk of physical harm. Instead, it would be best if you quietly coped with the situation at work while documenting the details of encounters with the culprit.
Recorded footage may be challenging to obtain, although you can even set your phone on record to gather evidence. You could even find ways to access any CCTV monitoring footage that might be installed at your place of work. It is crucial to hand all the evidence you can gather over to your sexual harassment lawyer so that they can compile a case for you.
3. Avoid dangerous situations
While you will need to gather some evidence to prove your sexual harassment claims, also avoid putting yourself in dangerous situations. In some cases, collecting proof the wrong way, such as making advances to document a reaction, you could be accused of instigating the situation.
That will put the outcome of your lawsuit in jeopardy. The same is relevant to workplace bullying, as the culprit may be a dangerous individual.
4. Consider settling out of court
One of the biggest issues in sexual harassment cases is the stigma attached to the victimized employee. While you will likely start searching for a new job while you are still navigating the case with your attorney, also consider settling out of court. This may protect your professional reputation from the impacts of the lawsuit.
A few last words on sexual harassment in the workplace
Sexual harassment comes in various forms, from subtle suggestions to physical advances, and in the most extreme cases, rape. Suppose you are enduring any form of sexual harassment at work.
In that case, consider pursuing professional therapy to speak about your experience and find additional effective ways of coping with the unfortunate and unfair situation. In extreme cases of sexual harassment, treatment is required to assist with the trauma of the experience.
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