In November 2017, over 200 women who had worked in U.S. government agencies signed a letter declaring that they had been victims of sexual harassment. According to the letter, the women had been pushed out of government positions by male employees who harassed and belittled them. The letter also urged government agencies to take action to prevent women from being harassed and bullied in the future.
Three years later, in September 2020, Democrats introduced a bill that aims to reduce sexual harassment in government agencies. This bill would require the State Department to enact measures that would prevent sexual harassment and discipline anyone who harasses a co-worker. The bill also aims to make it easier for people to report sexual assault and talk to an advocate.
In April 2020, a report found that the State Department has lax protocols that allow sexual harassment to take place without much discipline or oversight. As a result, hundreds of women have felt uncomfortable or attacked and ended up being pushed out of their jobs. According to the politicians who drafted the bill, the culture of sexual harassment needs to stop, and the U.S. government needs to work on reforming rules and protocols.
Where can an individual take their sexual harassment claims?
Workplace sexual harassment can involve blatantly hostile behavior like inappropriate touching or lewd sexual comments. It can also involve asking an employee to commit a sexual act in exchange for a reward like a promotion. However, some forms of sexual harassment are more subtle; they can involve making inappropriate jokes or showing an employee lewd images.
Whatever the case, a person who feels that they’ve been the victim of sexual harassment might wish to hire an attorney. An attorney may review their case to determine whether harassment took place. If they believe their client has a case, the attorney may help them file a lawsuit.
