What Is Verbal Sexual Harassment?

Sexual harassment in a work environment refers to repeated and continuous

behaviors of a sexual nature, including comments, touching, sending or posting photos
and literature (e.g. emails) or requests (e.g. a supervisor asking an employee for sex
or a date).

Verbal sexual harassment refers to any of the above behaviors that are said out loud
either to a person directly, near them or about them. This can look like inappropriate
sexual comments said about your appearance to colleagues, sexually suggestive
emails sent to your work account and lewd requests for dates or sexual favors. All of
these are a type of sexual harassment and are a violation of the victim's civil rights.

How Can You Report Verbal Sexual Harassment?

1. Document Your Experience

If you know your workplace policy and procedure, make sure you have as much
necessary information as they'll need to pursue your claim in full. Write down as
much detailed information about the occurrence as you can; the more information for
your notes, the better. You may also want to note your feelings or physiological
responses to the verbal harassment. You do NOT have to share this with anyone if
you don’t want to, but writing these down can help you start to process what just
happened and clarify your thoughts.

2. File Your Complaint as a Group

Reporting verbal sexual harassment as a group can help mitigate the perceived
consequences of reporting, including being taken seriously and retaliation. Don't
pressure your colleagues to share their verbal harassment stories, but if you find that
they've experienced similar workplace sexual harassment and are looking to bring
their own sexual harassment claim, team up. Your employer will have to take your
complaint more seriously if it's coming from more than one employee.

3. Use the Legal System

Verbal sexual assault in the workplace is illegal; nobody should have to work in
a hostile work environment where they're victim to sexually suggestive comments
and actions. If you feel that your employer isn't doing enough to protect you, you do
have the option to file a complaint with your local police department and seek legal
advice and representation. In both cases, there is, unfortunately, no guarantee that
taking this kind of action will lead to the desired legal consequences.
Role play script: Verbal Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Shaafiq: hey dear, aren’t you the new staff everyone been talking about? What a pleasure
to meet you! Oh wow you look really sexy in that skirt.
Atikah: hello, excuse me? When did I say you can call me that?
Shaafiq: wait, what? Oh so we need permission to compliment someone nowadays? I
thought everyone deserve freedom of speech.
Atikah: Is that what you call freedom of speech? Let me educate you. What you said to me
just now is sexual harassment. It made me uncomfortable and you should never said those
stuff to anyone especially to those you barely knew. I can easily reported you to the HR
Shaafiq: oh wow, Alif looks what we got over here. She thinks we were scared? Are we a kid
or something? by the way I think you should wear a shorter skirt. Pretty sure you will look
more sexy in it.
Alif: Shaafiq, stop. You shouldn’t say that to her.
Atikah: (referring to Shaafiq) are you insane?? Did you just objectifying me? If a girl wants
to wear a skirt, it’s because she wants to. It is not because she wants to look sexy or hot or
whatever you calls it. What would you feel if someone talked to your mom like this?
Alif: Shaafiq, stop messing with her. She’s not wrong though. I’m really sorry Atikah on
behalf of him. I suggest you should report to the HR if he ever done that to you again. He is
obviously sexually harassed you.