These days, more and more businesses embrace the accessibility and benefits that online work environments provide. Through this evolution in workplaces, old problems died out and new problems formed. Some problems stayed the same, while others simply changed to adapt to a new environment.
Unfortunately, sexual harassment falls into the latter category. Though some may not think it, it continues as an ever-evolving issue workers face every day in jobs across the country.
Coercion and threats
The New York Times looks into the changing forms of harassment at work. Sexual harassment continues to occur even with miles of space between people, unfortunately. In some ways, it continues as it had before. For example, a form of sexual harassment includes the use of coercion or threat to gain sexual favors. The perpetrator may promise the worker higher wages, better positions or bonuses if they agree, or they may threaten to demote them or dock their pay.
Newer forms of sexual harassment
With technology, more forms of harassment occur and evolve every day, too. Some perpetrators will send lewd photos of themselves through email attachments or text messages. Some may try to “sext” coworkers, while others might link inappropriate content such as pornographic websites while on the clock on work computers. Some even go as far as to expose themselves in video chats.
The good news is, technology also provides a good way to zero in on these perpetrators and catch them with well-documented evidence. This allows victims to hold their harassers accountable for their actions and seek the potential compensation that they may get in court due to the hardships they faced at work.