After dealing with struggles with sexual harassment at work, you may not know what to do. The reasons why some people hesitate to report incidents often vary.
In some circumstances, there could be very real barriers that make you hesitate to report this harassment to anyone.
Denial or minimalization
According to Psychology Today, some people may misunderstand what constitutes sexual harassment and what the definition of it is. You may not ever mention what happened to you to other people or may try to tell yourself that repeated issues with a hostile work environment do not affect you.
Comments about your appearance or intimidating or suggestive interactions can leave you feeling like you must remain silent. The stress from this continual harassment can leave you nervous about going to work or performing basic work-related tasks.
Pressure from others
If a boss or someone in a position of power over you tries to coerce you to perform sexual actions in exchange for a raise or in order to keep your job, you may not know where to turn for help. A hostile work environment can also happen when a coworker or boss says inappropriate sexual jokes or shows you explicit photographs.
Worries about retaliation
You may not report anyone because you feel worried about what consequences could happen if they try to retaliate. Fearing unequal treatment at work and struggling with your own feelings of shame or worry about what could happen next can leave you nervous.
Knowing more about these common worries and issues can help you decide what steps to take next.
