Preventing Sexual Preventing Sexual HarassmentHarassment

A Tutorial for Houghton CollegeA Tutorial for Houghton College

ObjectivesObjectives

To raise awareness about sexual harassment with the To raise awareness about sexual harassment with the goal of preventiongoal of prevention

To promote dialogue about sexual harassment issues To promote dialogue about sexual harassment issues on campus on campus

To provide guidelines and resources for addressing To provide guidelines and resources for addressing sexual harassmentsexual harassment

Why Should I Be Concerned Why Should I Be Concerned About Sexual Harassment?About Sexual Harassment?

Houghton College considers a position against Houghton College considers a position against sexual harassment to be thoroughly consistent sexual harassment to be thoroughly consistent with the overall mission of the college and its with the overall mission of the college and its longstanding commitment to traditional Christian longstanding commitment to traditional Christian values as presented in the Holy Scripturesvalues as presented in the Holy Scriptures

Sexual Harassment in the workplace, classroom or Sexual Harassment in the workplace, classroom or anywhere on campus violates civil rights lawsanywhere on campus violates civil rights laws

Why Should I Be Concerned Why Should I Be Concerned About Sexual Harassment About Sexual Harassment (continued)?(continued)?

Being able to identify sexual harassment and Being able to identify sexual harassment and knowing how to respond are important steps to knowing how to respond are important steps to reducing sexual harassmentreducing sexual harassment within the campus within the campus community and to limiting the exposure of community and to limiting the exposure of individuals and the College to legal liabilityindividuals and the College to legal liability

What is Sexual Harassment?What is Sexual Harassment?

Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:sexual nature when:

Submission to such conduct is made either Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s employmentindividual’s employment

What is Sexual Harassment? What is Sexual Harassment? (Continued)(Continued)

– Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individualacademic decisions affecting such individual

– Such conduct has the purpose or effect of Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s unreasonably interfering with an individual’s employment or academic performance or creating an employment or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or educational environmenteducational environment

Sexual Harassment in Academic Sexual Harassment in Academic CommunitiesCommunities

“Quid Pro Quo”“Quid Pro Quo”

Being asked to respond sexually with the direct or indirect Being asked to respond sexually with the direct or indirect implication that a person’s academic or work situation implication that a person’s academic or work situation would be improved if they complied or hurt if they did not.would be improved if they complied or hurt if they did not.

The most well-defined and least common form of sexual The most well-defined and least common form of sexual harassment.harassment.

Example of Quid Pro QuoExample of Quid Pro Quo

A suggestion by a supervisor or professor that A suggestion by a supervisor or professor that sexual involvement with him/her would improve sexual involvement with him/her would improve the employee’s chance for promotion or the the employee’s chance for promotion or the student’s chance for a good grade.student’s chance for a good grade.

““Going out with me could be important in the kind of Going out with me could be important in the kind of recommendation I write for you for grad school.”recommendation I write for you for grad school.”

Sexual Harassment in Academic Sexual Harassment in Academic CommunitiesCommunities

“Hostile Environment”“Hostile Environment”

Behaviors that create an environment so offensive, Behaviors that create an environment so offensive, intimidating, or hostile that it interferes with a intimidating, or hostile that it interferes with a person’s ability to work or a student’s ability to person’s ability to work or a student’s ability to learn or participate in the campus environment.learn or participate in the campus environment.

Vast majority of cases fall into this category.Vast majority of cases fall into this category.

Definite Examples of Hostile Definite Examples of Hostile EnvironmentEnvironment

GratuitousGratuitous sexually oriented remarks in the sexually oriented remarks in the classroomclassroom

UnwelcomeUnwelcome sexual attention (comments, sexual attention (comments, questions about an individual’s sexuality or sex questions about an individual’s sexuality or sex life)life)

UndesiredUndesired physical contact, such as brushing up physical contact, such as brushing up against someone, or unwanted touchingagainst someone, or unwanted touching

Possible Example of Hostile Possible Example of Hostile EnvironmentEnvironment

A “joke” about someone’s sexual behavior or A “joke” about someone’s sexual behavior or discussing one’s own sexual behaviordiscussing one’s own sexual behavior

Note: While normally the creation of “hostile Note: While normally the creation of “hostile environment” occurs over an extended period of environment” occurs over an extended period of time, a one-time occurrence, if severe, can be time, a one-time occurrence, if severe, can be enough enough

Facts About Sexual Facts About Sexual HarassmentHarassment

The person engaging in harassing behavior is The person engaging in harassing behavior is often in a position of power, influence or authority often in a position of power, influence or authority over the individual toward whom the conduct is over the individual toward whom the conduct is directed.directed.

Harassers may be respected, talented, and well-Harassers may be respected, talented, and well-liked by others in the communityliked by others in the community

Facts About Sexual HarassmentFacts About Sexual Harassment

Behaviors that may qualify as sexual harassment Behaviors that may qualify as sexual harassment can range from lewd remarks or jokes of a sexual can range from lewd remarks or jokes of a sexual nature to stalking and sexual assault.nature to stalking and sexual assault.

To be harassment, the behavior must be To be harassment, the behavior must be unwanted unwanted or unwelcomeor unwelcome

Houghton’s Policy on Sexual Houghton’s Policy on Sexual HarassmentHarassment

A complete copy of the policy can be found at:A complete copy of the policy can be found at:

www.houghton.edu/human_resources/www.houghton.edu/human_resources/

As A College Employee, What Do I Do If A As A College Employee, What Do I Do If A Student Discloses That She/He Has Been Student Discloses That She/He Has Been Sexually Harassed?Sexually Harassed?

Refer the student to Refer the student to Betsy SanfordBetsy Sanford, our Sexual , our Sexual Harassment Officer Harassment Officer

Recommend that the student contact Betsy via e-mail Recommend that the student contact Betsy via e-mail ((betsy.sanfordbetsy.sanford@houghton.edu) to arrange a convenient ) to arrange a convenient time and place to meet.time and place to meet.

Follow up with student after a brief interval .Follow up with student after a brief interval . Respect the confidentiality of the parties involved.Respect the confidentiality of the parties involved.

What Do I Do If I Have Been What Do I Do If I Have Been Sexually Harassed?Sexually Harassed?

Please Contact Our Please Contact Our

Sexual Harassment Officer Sexual Harassment Officer

Betsy Sanford Betsy Sanford

via e-mail via e-mail ((betsy.sanfordbetsy.sanford@houghton.edu) )

to arrange ato arrange a

convenient time and place to meet.convenient time and place to meet.

What Will the Sexual What Will the Sexual Harassment Officer Do?Harassment Officer Do?

The Sexual Harassment Officer will:The Sexual Harassment Officer will: ListenListen

Maintain confidentiality.Maintain confidentiality.

Provide information about options for making a Provide information about options for making a complaint or for getting the behavior to stop complaint or for getting the behavior to stop

No action will be taken by the Sexual Harassment Officer No action will be taken by the Sexual Harassment Officer unless the individual who has reported the harassment unless the individual who has reported the harassment makes such a request.makes such a request.

Question #1 – True or FalseQuestion #1 – True or False

Making derogatory comments about women is a Making derogatory comments about women is a common form of sexual harassment? common form of sexual harassment?

1. False1. False

Sexual harassment is any unwanted act or Sexual harassment is any unwanted act or behavior that is behavior that is sexual in naturesexual in nature that negatively that negatively affects the recipient’s work or academic affects the recipient’s work or academic environment. If the conduct is not sexual in environment. If the conduct is not sexual in nature, it may be another form of harassment (i.e. nature, it may be another form of harassment (i.e. gender or racial).gender or racial).

Question #2 – True or FalseQuestion #2 – True or False

Sexual Harassment must persist over a long Sexual Harassment must persist over a long period of time to be considered actionable?period of time to be considered actionable?

2. False2. False

A single incident can be considered sexual A single incident can be considered sexual harassment. harassment. Quid pro quoQuid pro quo harassment can occur harassment can occur in only one incident as can hostile environment in only one incident as can hostile environment sexual harassment if the single incident is severe sexual harassment if the single incident is severe enough.enough.

Question #3 – True or FalseQuestion #3 – True or False

Sexual Harassment can be perpetrated by a Sexual Harassment can be perpetrated by a subordinate against his or her supervisor or by a subordinate against his or her supervisor or by a student against a professor?student against a professor?

3. True3. True

Even though instances of sexual harassment Even though instances of sexual harassment most often involve a power differential, it is not most often involve a power differential, it is not necessary for the harasser to have more power or necessary for the harasser to have more power or authority than the victim. authority than the victim.

Final Question- True or FalseFinal Question- True or False

If you believe you have been sexually harassed, If you believe you have been sexually harassed, you need to you need to personally confrontpersonally confront the harasser to the harasser to give him/her a chance to correct the behavior give him/her a chance to correct the behavior before reporting the conduct to the Sexual before reporting the conduct to the Sexual Harassment Officer?Harassment Officer?

FalseFalse

There is no requirement that a person who has There is no requirement that a person who has been harassed personally confront the harasser been harassed personally confront the harasser with objections to the conduct.with objections to the conduct.