Verbal harassment is oral communication directed at another person that can result in emotional or psychological harm. This may include name-calling, sexual slurs and descriptions, or remarks and accusations that diminish a person’s self-worth.
Verbal harassment varies depending on location and cultural practices. Often, people joke with each other, and this is okay as long as no one crosses the line.
However, a joke can quickly become a form of verbal harassment, especially it assumes a sexual harassment nature. Verbal sexual harassment can occur in the workplace, learning institutions, after-hour conversations and even non-office settings between employees and peers. If you feel troubled by the workplace harassment, consider talking with a Levitt lawyer and discuss your legal options.
Below are the different type of verbal sexual harassment:
Type #1: Suggestive Name-Calling
Depending on the context, using names such as baby, sweetie, or even beautiful as a way to call out to someone could be deemed as verbal sexual harassment.
These terms or titles could cause discomfort to the person being addressed. They may also cause embarrassment if used in public places, such as the office.
In most cases, the person using these types of names may think they are being nice or friendly. In the process, they might not realize that the other person feels sexually harassed by the name-calling.
Type #2: Whistling and Catcalls
Whistling and catcalls is another common type of verbal sexual harassment. It is not uncommon for men to whistle as women pass by in an attempt to get their attention or to indicate that they have noticed them. This can get very uncomfortable, especially if it’s a group of males whistling at a lone female.
This form of sexual harassment can quickly evolve into sexual harassment. Depending on its severity, it can degenerate into threats or escalate into patronizing, disgracing, sabotaging and humiliating a person.
Type #3: Sexual Statements and Conversations
When conversations are always centred around sex or sexual things, this can be considered sexual harassment. The statements can be a personal attack on a person. It could also involve attempts at coercing a person to grant sexual favours in exchange for some assistance or help. Also, sexually abusive is repeatedly inviting someone on a date when they have clearly and consistently rejected the unsolicited invitation.
Type #4: Making Jokes Using Sexual Context
Some jokes are explicit in nature. They may be inappropriate depending on when they are told and who they are told in the presence of. In the office, for example, it can make employees feel embarrassed. The jokes could also be centred around one’s clothing, features, body shape, size, or weight.
Type #5: Discussing Sexual Activity and History
Asking about somebody’s sexual escapades, past or present, and fantasies can be extremely uncomfortable. Insisting on wanting to know another person’s sexual life is equally embarrassing.
Requests about one’s sexual orientation, virginity status, how they lost their virginity, and how many sexual partners they’ve had are grossly abusive in certain contexts.
Some people pester others into discussing their personal lives with their spouses, for example. Such is verbal sexual harassment if it’s unsolicited or unwanted.
Type #6: Suggestive Gestures and Innuendos
This includes addressing someone using suggestive gestures, such as making kissing noises. These gestures are usually unwelcome, especially in public.
Smacking or licking lips, winking, holding or eating food provocatively are other gestures that could be interpreted as verbal sexual harassment.
Type #7: Sexual Compliments in the Workplace
It’s verbal sexual harassment if a compliment about a person’s clothing or appearance is given within a sexual context.
This kind of harassment is referred to as the deformation of character (DoC). It portrays the victim as being deficient in other areas except for their sexuality.
Type #8: Sexual Orientation Harassment
This form of verbal abuse is usually accompanied by undesired behaviours such as offensive remarks, compromising sexual invitations, name-calling, and, in some cases, physical assault. It is based on the gender and sexual orientation of a person.
Once some people discover one has a different sexual orientation than theirs, they may make them a target of unwanted verbal harassment. They may subject them to sexual slurs, innuendos, and provocative suggestions.
Type #9: Graphic Sexual Descriptions
When people have nothing to talk about, they tend to engage in idle chatter. If the chatter is of a sexual nature, it could escalate into graphic sexual descriptions.
If you are in such a group and you’re forced to listen to such chatter, you can claim to be sexually harassed. Not everyone in the group is interested in such an idle banter. It’s unsolicited and inappropriate. Verbal sexual harassment can lead to irritation, annoyance and persecution.
Verbal sexual harassment was traditionally believed only to affect women. However, today it affects all genders. Nonetheless, women are more exposed to verbal sexual harassment than men.
Most harassers think their comments, slurs or innuendos are funny. They are erroneously misguided into believing that their conduct is not only appropriate and acceptable, but it’s also appreciated. It can be challenging to identify verbal sexual harassment since what one person perceives as sexual harassment may mean something entirely different for another.
