HOW TO DEAL WITH SEXUAL HARASSMENT AT THE WORKPLACE
Sexual harassment is, unfortunately, a common occurrence in the workplace. It can take on the form of verbal or physical conduct. In Nigeria, lots of victims are so shy to complain due to the stigma and choose rather keep quiet. However, there are different ways and right approaches to deal with sexual harassment at the workplace, but this actually depends on your particular situation, the following are practical ways to address this challenge:
Talk to the Person Directly
Communicate your disapproval to him. Try as much as possible to avoid being alone with him. You can ask the person harassing you to stop, however, if he doesn’t, you can inform him you intend to file a report and take further action.
Find other Victims and Witnesses
Support your claim by searching for other victims of sexual harassment by your harasser who had filed complaints in the past. Secure the testimony of any witnesses of your incidents in writing as evidence.
Keep a record
If he isn’t getting the message, prepare to report him. Gather evidence to substantiate your claims. Note down the date, time and details of each incident. Save any emails or text messages that contain inappropriate language and use your mobile phone recorder to discreetly record his remarks.
Inform Your Supervisor
If talking to your harasser doesn’t stop the harassing behavior, you can personally report all incidents to your immediate supervisor or write him in detail the sequence of events.
Contact the HR Manager
It's significant you contact your human resources manager as well. Human resources can inform you of the necessary action you need to take concerning the sexual harassment incidents due to their expertise.
External resources
If your company doesn’t take any action on your complaint or doesn’t penalize the one harassing you, you can approach the National Commission for Women Affairs. They can approach the company on your behalf in an effort to force it to take action.
Devise a Plan B
You may be tempted to leave your job; however, you should only contemplate this if the person harassing you is threatening you violently. But you can alternatively consider changing your branch to another office branch before opting to quit or look for another job. Leaving without an option may result in a feeling of powerlessness.