Although most sexual harassment claims involve male-on-female harassment, allegations of male-on-male harassment—and even female-on-male harassment—are on the rise. Employers should not only be aware of this trend, but also understand how to identify all forms of sexual harassment and adjust their harassment policies accordingly.
Since 1990, the percentage of sexual harassment claims filed by men has doubled to more than 16 percent, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. This percentage has continued to rise even as the overall number of sexual harassment complaints has declined. From 2006 to 2009, sexual harassment claims filed by men jumped to 16.4 percent from 15.4 percent of all sexual harassment claims. Last year, the percentage of sexual harassment lawsuits filed by the EEOC filed on behalf of male plaintiffs reached 14 percent, marking an all-time high.
Dana Mattioli of The Wall Street Journal recently observed that the spike in male sexual harassment claims coincides with a recession that has hit men harder than women. From September 2008 to January 2010, 4.4 million men lost their jobs, whereas only 2.3 million women became unemployed during this same period. According to Mattioli, the share of sexual harassment claims filed by men increased more in some states with higher-than-average unemployment rates. Whether this trend is the result of current economic conditions or is a function of higher rates of harassment against males is unclear. It may also be the case that men today are simply more comfortable coming forward with sexual harassment claims than they’ve been in the past. At any rate, there can be no doubt that more men are filing sexual harassment claims today than ever before.
While most companies provide some form of harassment training, rarely does such training specifically address male-on-male harassment. Employers must move beyond stereotypical notions of sexual harassment and help their employees understand and recognize how harassment can manifest itself outside the traditional male-on-female setting. Employers should place particular emphasis on how seemingly innocent locker-room behavior and horseplay can cross the line and become harassment. By helping employees rethink the definition of sexual harassment, employers improve the likelihood of a harassment-free workplace. Well-trained employees will not only avoid such conduct, but are also more likely to recognize and report it when they see it happening around them.
Finally, employers may need to rethink their mechanism for reporting harassment. Men may process and react to harassment differently than women. While more men are filing sexual harassment complaints today than ever before, many men may be reluctant to come forward based on their fear of being labeled feminine, homosexual or oversensitive. Employers should be cognizant of the unique challenges men face in reporting harassment and examine ways to make male employees more likely to come forward in the event they are harassed.
Source: Workforce Management Online, Ron Chapman, Jr
