According to statistics, if you count yourself among the many victims of workplace sexual harassment in California and the United States, you probably are not talking about it. Statistics also indicate that, even if you are calling attention to the unfair treatment you are receiving in your place of business, you may find yourself facing termination or retaliation in the aftermath of doing so. At the office of Jay S. Rothman & Associates, we recognize that many victims of workplace sexual harassment are reluctant to come forward, but we have helped many people do exactly that after gaining the courage to speak out.
Per the Mercury News, most instances of workplace sexual harassment never come to light, with more than 99.8 percent of the more than 5 million workers who experience work-related sexual harassment never filing formal charges against their harassers. Meanwhile, even those who do file charges often do not get their day in court, with only about 1,500 cases making it through the court system each year.
While the percentage of victims of workplace sexual harassment who choose not to pursue charges is concerning, so, too, is what often happens to those who do make the brave decision to speak out. More than 60 percent of those who spoke out about workplace sexual harassment lost their positions within a year of doing so. Additionally, nearly 70 percent of those who called attention to their harassment reported that they had experienced some sort of workplace retaliation after doing so.
While men are frequently overlooked victims of sexual harassment, females continue to be the most likely victims. When analysts reviewed more than 46,000 reported claims of workplace sexual harassment, 81 percent of them came from women. You can find more about this topic on our webpage.
