Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can happen to anyone at any time. Unfortunately, a staggering 97% of women aged 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment and only 96% of those haven’t reported it. This percentage tells us that women believe that reporting sexual harassment would have no effect on the matter and therefore take no action.

This is a worrying trend.

https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/97-of-women-in-the-uk/105940/

Therefore what does sexual harassment include?  

 Types of Sexual Harassment  

There are several types of sexual harassment, including: 

• Sexual comments or noises 
• Sexual gestures. 
• Leering, staring or suggestive looks. This can include looking someone up and down. 
• Sexual ‘jokes’. 
• Sexual innuendos or suggestive comments. 
• Unwanted sexual advances or flirting. 
• Sexual requests or asking for sexual favours. 
• Sending emails or texts with sexual content
• Sexual posts or contact on social media. 
• Intrusive questions about a person’s private or sex life. 
• Someone discussing their own sex life. 
• Commenting on someone’s body, appearance or what they’re wearing. 
• Spreading sexual rumours. 
• Standing close to someone. 
• Displaying images of a sexual nature. 
• Unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature 
• Stalking. 
• Indecent exposure. 
• Taking a photo or video under another person’s clothing

 

We have gained these resources from Rape Crisis: https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-informed/types-of-sexual-violence/what-is-sexual-harassment/ 

Rape Crises is a great resource to learn more, as well as a safe space to talk if you have been affected by sexual harassment at any point. 

 

 

What to do?  

It is hard to know what to do or how to react if you or if someone else is being sexually harassed.  

If you are being sexually harassed in anyway, it is important to remember details or have evidence of the incident in order to report to the police. For instance details such as, who they are, what they look like, the location, date and time, and the type of harassment are all valid evidence. Whether you have reported or not, it is advised you seek support after the incident for your own safety and wellbeing! 

For more support and advice please visit: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/keeping-safe/personal-safety/sexual-harassment 

 

It might not be you who is being sexually harassed, it may be something you have witnessed and you have the responsibility. Right To Be is an anti-harassment movement based in New York. They have developed a strategy to help people know what to do when they see someone else being sexually harassed. https://righttobe.org/guides/bystander-intervention-training/ 

It is called the 5D’s: 

• Distract – Interrupt or ask a question that does not involve the other person or the incident taking place 
• Delegate – Asking someone else to help or intervene instead of yourself  
• Delay – If you can’t help in any way. Alternatively, talk to the victim afterwards and offer help  
• Direct – Address the situation and respond to what is happening 
• Document – Record the incident as evidence 

These methods provide a way to help the victim without putting yourself in danger. Share this method with friends and family to help spread awareness.  

In the workplace  

It is essential to Creative Alliance that our apprentices feel safe within their workplace. If for any reason you feel unsafe or feel you have experienced any harassment within your workplace, report to our safeguarding officer immediately. 

Helen Dixon – helen@creativealliance.org.uk    

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