sexual harassment
conceptual tools

tool #1: target psychological signals

Targets don’t cause harassment. But they can give off signals that make them appear to be likely and compliant targets to offenders. For prevention, managers should be alert for possible harassment with any employees in the following situations:

1. Desperate/Vulnerable - needs the job, money or attention.
2. Single/Lonely - has emotional hole to fill.
3. Trader - willing to exchange performance for emotional support
      and attention.
4. Weakling/Tender Ego - easily embarrassed or cowed.
5. Self-Destructive - seeks negative relationships.

6. Rebounder - in emotional transit after breakup.
7. Naive - has idealism which can be used.
8. Grateful - feels sense of debt.
9. Wrong Environment - quasi-social job situation.

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tool #2: six levels of sexual harassment

This is the most powerful toolset in CooperComm’s Stop It Now arsenal. Everyone has problems in relating harassment incidents to others and in determining the severity of occurrences. The Six Levels allow everyone to share a common behavioral benchmark for acceptable and unacceptable actions.

1. Aesthetic Appreciation - non-aggressive appreciation
      of sexual features.
2. Active Mental Groping - intimidating nonverbal behavior,
      direct sexual comments.
3. Social Touching - “acceptable” but uncomfortable
      physical contact.
4. Foreplay Harassment - “innocent” physical contact
      with borderline body areas.
5. Sexual Abuse - direct verbal and physical harassment
      plus unacceptable touching.
6. Ultimate Threat - forcible physical abuse or threats up to
      and including assault.

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tool #3: harasser offender stereotypes

While harassers can be male or female, research has shown that the vast majority of sexual harassment offenders are male. Common male harassers include:

1. Neanderthal - is after any non-male organism.
2. God’s Gift to Women - doing the target a favor.
3. Playboy Man - trying to live the philosophy.
4. Gunfighter - out for conquest.

5. Rising Star - has unfulfilled needs.
6. Father (Mother) Figure/False Mentor - seems helpful, but out
      for the romp.
7. Midlife Lothario - wants to use it before fading out of the action.
8. Dirty Old Man - doesn’t want to score, only to remember the fun.

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tool #4: target offender stereotypes

Some behaviors related to harassment can originate from the so-called “target’s” side. Here, the roles of offender and target can blur and an organization’s sexual harassment policies can be improperly used.

1. Seducer - “innocently” sends out strong sexual signal.
2. Tease - puts out confusing signal of availability and rejection.
3. Protege’ - seeks relationship with powerful individual
     who can help career.
4. Double Pro - trades physical favors for job favors.
5. False Victim - uses claim of sexual harassment to intimidate.
6. Mother/Father Figure - never intends to establish a relationship,
      but lets one happen.

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tool #5: informal verbal response strategies

Research shows that a strong first response to Level One through Four sexual harassment incidents is #3 below – a straight-forward statement that the offender’s actions are unwanted and inappropriate. If there is no reoccurrence, the problem is solved. If the behavior continues, a formal complaint can be filed.

Many targets have asked us for interpersonal verbal response strategies short of filing a formal complaint. The goal is for targets to position themselves as unattractive targets in the normal give-and-take workplace environment – that they can hold their own. Seminar attendees have helped us identify the following verbal response strategies:

  1. Buddha - impassively ignores everything.
  2. Lawyer - is literal in sidestepping innuendoes.
  3. Adult - assertively states feelings and reactions.
  4. Idiot - pretends not to understand.
  5. Hyena - is entertained by the incident.

  6. Backboard - returns all comments likewise.
  7. Judge - rates the offender’s efforts.
  8. Psychologist - empathizes with the offender’s obvious
        psychological problems.
  9. Scoreboard - counts and gives the offender a quota.
10. Surgeon - inflicts major psychological damage with retort.

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tool #6: early warning signs for prevention

The goal of any sexual harassment policy and training is prevention. A second goal is early identification, even when the target has not made a formal complaint. Co-workers, managers and supervisors should be alert when any of the following behaviors are observed in an employee – particularly if the employee fits one of the Target Psychological Signals from Tool #1 above:

  1. Radical change in work habits
  2. Unusual absenteeism
  3. Anti-social behavior
  4. New circle of friends
  5. Heightened need of privacy

  6. Discomfort around an individual
  7. Curiosity about harassment policy
  8. Third party inquiries
  9. Aggressive or antagonistic behavior
10. Caustic humor

11. Change in attire
12. Low self-esteem
13. Rumors

. . . from “The Shame Program” by Reg Ferrell, courtesy of The Training Station, Arlington, Texas.