Is It Sexual Harassment?
July 1999
Is it sexual harassment?
n 1994, the Merit Systems Protection Board, in the most recent governmentwide look at the issue, surveyed 8,000 federal employees across government about their experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment. For the following behaviors, respondents were asked, "Would you consider this sexual harassment?"
Type of Uninvited Behavior 1980 (%) 1994 (%)
by a Supervisor
Men Women Men Women
| Pressure for sexual favors | 84 91 | 97 99 | ||
| Deliberate touching, cornering | 83 | 91 | 93 98 | |
| Suggestive letters, calls, materials | 87 | 93 | 87 94 | |
| Pressure for dates | 76 | 77 | 86 91 | |
| Suggestive looks, gestures | 59 | 72 | 76 91 | |
| Sexual teasing, jokes, remarks | 53 | 62 | 73 83 | |
Type of Uninvited Behavior by a Co-Worker
Men Women Men Women
| Pressure for sexual favors | 65 | 81 | 93 98 | |
| Deliberate touching, cornering | 69 | 84 | 89 96 | |
| Suggestive letters, calls, materials | 76 | 87 | 81 92 | |
| Pressure for dates | 59 | 65 | 76 85 | |
| Suggestive looks, gestures | 47 | 64 | 70 88 | |
| Sexual teasing, jokes, remarks | 42 | 54 | 64 77 |
Source: Merit Systems Protection Board's "Sexual Harassment in the Federal Workplace," October 1995.
NEXT STORY: Don't be a target