Stand Up, Speak Up

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English 2201-008

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Stand Up, Speak Up: Is Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Exaggerated?

Sexual harassment is the making of unwanted and offensive sexual advances or of sexually offensive remarks or acts, especially by one in a superior or supervisory position (sexual harassment). In the workplace sexual harassment is approached to an individual on the basis that they will receive a promotion, or employee benefits, and even sometimes there employment may be threatened. Sexual harassment has affected many individuals in the workplace; the majority of these individuals are women. For tens of years the severity of sexual harassment has not been taken properly care of. Many would argue that sexual harassment in the workplace is exaggerated but further case studies oppose so. In the case of women sexual harassment is anything but exaggerated, and is an issue which needs to be addressed. Through personal experiences and other case studies it will be proven that this issue is not overstated. Women around the world are being sexually harassed constantly and a very small percentage of those cases get reported. Women must put there foot down and put this issue to a halt, feeling comfortable in the workplace is extremely important, especially if it's one's career.

In the summer of 2005, I experience sexual harassment at firsthand. I was fifteen years of age and was working a summer job at a restaurant. During the first few weeks the manager was getting particularly Ð''friendly' with me. At the time I didn't notice it was much of an issue, but then weeks went by and my manager started calling me names such as Ð''babycakes' and Ð''hottie'. These names made me feel incredibly uncomfortable but I just shrugged it off not knowing it was going to become a bigger issue. That week my manager starting touching and groping me in inappropriate places and whispering rude comments in my ear, this truly threw me off guard. Being fifteen at the time I had no idea how to deal with such a serious and degrading issue so I found it appropriate to ask the other female staff which their advice was "He does it to all of us, it's just how he is". This being the most terrible and useless advice, I resorted to something else, I stopped showing up for work. Working there made me feel demeaned, undignified, and self-worthless. It took an experience like this to open my eyes to a whole different world of raw discomfited pain and disgrace. Looking back on this makes me realize that sexual harassment is under-exaggerated and not taken seriously. To this day it has affected me and my experiences have shown just that. Many cases of harassment go untold, and many have been reported in other workplaces, not just restaurants.

Sexual harassment is not just in the office or restaurant; it can also be in the government. In Japan a matter such as sexual harassment is taken very seriously, especially when taking place within government. Women of Japan complain they have a tougher time working in their environment due to the sexual harassment they receive. Government officials are putting new rules into play regarding this problem. Unlike many countries, Japan is taking this issue to all seriousness and is putting in place new guidelines to halt sexual harassment. In Japan sexual harassment works differently then that of North America. Sexual harassment from one of a superior position does not approach a female with benefits such as promotions. This is because "bosses in such companies have no direct control over promotions because all major assignments are determined by a centralized personnel department" (WuDunn, 1998). A victim in sexual harassment receives smaller benefits but nothing on the basis of their employment. Japan realizes that their workers feel very uncomfortable when it comes to issues such as sexual harassment and will do everything to the extreme to ensure loyalty and comfort in their workplace. This is why Japan has put a new rule into play, this being, women in Government offices can no longer be forced to serve tea or run personal errands. One could say that running personal errands has nothing to do with sexual harassment, but the culture is very different in Japan and the reasoning behind a rule like this is demands culture and tradition understanding. In a society such as Japan, females are given the term "oku-san" which means ''Mrs. In-the-Back-of-the-House,'' females believe this term is rather degrading and demeaning, and a way of verbal sexual harassment. A term as such makes female workers feel less important and somewhat useless in the workplace. To ensure that female workers feel ultimate importance in the Government offices they are no longer allowed running any type of errand. Japan is a prime example of how serious sexual harassment should be taken. The Japanese have come to realize the crucial importance for individuals to feel comfortable and unharmed in their workplace. If only other countries would take drastic measures to ensure personal comfort and safety in their workplace they the issue of sexual harassment would decrease immensely. (WuDunn, 1998)

The majority of all cases of sexual harassment go unreported because women are afraid to tell and deal with the situation; they believe it takes too