Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment : The Complete Guide

Sexual harassment is headline news, whether it occurs in the halls of Congress, the top management of corporations, the corridors of the workplace, or the campuses of universities. Yet while most people are aware it is now illegal, exactly what constitutes sexual harassment is less than clear, and the subject leaves women and men everywhere anxious, uncomfortable, and perplexed. Why this is so, and what can be done about preventing or dealing with harassing behavior, is the heart of this insightful and practical book. This is new territory. Sexual politics boundaries, and laws are changing so rapidly that the status quo can no longer be relied upon in relations between the sexes. How do we determine what is and isn't acceptable behavior when the rules keep changing? As a psychiatrist with professional expertise in sexual and boundary issues, Peter Rutter, M.D., draws on actual incidents, in-depth research, and legal decisions to answer questions like these. He examines the biological, psychological, and cultural underpinnings of the differences between the sexes; analyzes myths and realities about sex and sexuality in the context of daily life; and lays out the new sexual boundaries and laws on harassment, in the workplace and away from it, as they affect co-workers, supervisors and staffers, teachers and students, professionals and clients. Women and men will find concrete advice on the complexities of managing relationships, identifying behaviors that infringe on boundaries, taking preventive measures to forestall them, and following specific steps to deal with harassment if it occurs--from giving notice to the harasser that the attention is unwelcome to the ultimate step of filing a complaint and/or a lawsuit. The good news is that most potential harassers are willing and interested in changing their behavior if given clear guidelines about what is unwanted. Understanding and Preventing Sexual Harassment not only demonstrates how to prevent and deal with the problem, it shows that the new rules and changed practices can actually make the workplace a site for forging fresh and rewarding relationships between men and women.… (more)