An In-Depth Report on Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Published by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

In honour of National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we look back on April. Workplace sexual assault and harassment are pervasive issues across the United States, especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) published Sexual Harassment in Our Nation's Workplaces as part of an educational initiative. In this article, our sexual harassment attorneys in Connecticut will discuss some of the most important takeaways from the EEOC's report on sexual harassment in the workplace. Discuss your situation with a certified sexual harassment attorney.

In the United States, more than 27,000 complaints of sexual harassment have been filed since 2018.

From 2018-2021, the EEOC said it received 27,291 sexual harassment claims from employees. Although more sexual harassment accusations were filed at the state level. The number of sexual harassment claims dropped slightly from 2018 and 2019 to 2020 and 2021. No one knows why this is happening. During the COVID-19 epidemic, there may have been less sexual harassment because more people were working from home.

Women tend to be the ones who report sexual harassment, but men can and do experience it as well.

Women are disproportionately impacted by sexual harassment in the workplace, as shown by the data. According to data compiled by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, women account for over 78% of sexual harassment claims. However, male employees are not immune to sexual harassment in the workplace. Between 2018 and 2021, male employees filed sexual harassment accusations at work at a rate of one in five.

Reports of retaliation against workers who have complained about sexual harassment are common.

Forty percent of workers who report sexual harassment to the EEOC also file a claim of unlawful retaliation, the agency reports. When a superior or coworker takes action against an employee because they used their rights, this is known as retaliation. In other words, doing so is illegal. An employee who has complained about or reported sexual harassment cannot be disciplined by their employer in any way (including suspension, demotion, or termination).

Underreporting means that there is a gap in our understanding of the prevalence of sexual harassment.

Despite the frightening nature of the EEOC's data, it is not exhaustive. Sexual harassment is often found to be underreported in studies. According to one survey, 90% of victims of sexual harassment in the workplace never disclose it. One reason is that workers worry about retaliation if they speak up.