Sexual harassment in the workplace has been an ongoing issue for both men and women for decades. What started as a movement to assist Delaware women in seeking employment free from harassment has turned into an umbrella law to protect men as well. In fact, there are many key factors that actually contribute to men undergoing sexual harassment in their workplaces.
Pro-feminist attitudes, gender non-conformity
It’s been revealed that men who deviate from the traditional masculine gender role are more likely to be sexually harassed at their workplace. Those taking on the role of pro-feminist are being harassed more often, regardless of their sexual orientation. This form of sexual harassment was dispersed by both male and female co-workers.
More tolerant workplaces
It’s been shown that workplaces where sexual harassment against women is tolerated by men, rather than spoken out against, fosters more workplace sexual harassment. The same thing was found true for men. In workplaces where men experience sexual harassment, a higher number of women are shown to tolerate the harassment that happens to the men in front of them.
Mental health can be affected
Studies have revealed that men who undergo sexual harassment are more likely to experience mental health issues. These include anxiety, alcohol abuse and depression. This may lead to future employment and educational issues such as low morale, quitting work and dropping out of school.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is constantly a topic of discussion. As you’ve discovered there are many different contributing factors that can make a workplace more prone to sexual harassment claims submitted by men. As more and more men speak up about experiencing sexual harassment in their workplace, it’s expected that the total number of men who will report workplace sexual harassment encounters in the future will rise.
