Many People Have Found These Strategies Effective:
- Say NO to the
harasser! Be direct.
- Write a letter to the
harasser. Describe the incident and how it made you feel. State that you would
like the harassment to stop. Send the letter by certified mail. Keep a copy.
- Keep a record of what
happened and when. Include dates, times, places, names of persons involved and
witnesses, and who said what to whom.
- Tell someone; don’t
keep it to yourself. By being quiet about the harassment, you don’t help stop
it. Chances are extremely good that you aren’t the only victim of your
harasser. Speaking up can be helpful in finding support and in protecting
others from being victims.
- Finding out who is
responsible for dealing with harassment in your organization and whether you
can talk in confidence to that person. Almost all organizations have sexual
harassment policies, procedures and individuals or counselors who administer
them.
- Find out what the
procedure is at your workplace or school; it is the organization’s
responsibility to provide you with advice, help and support, but such meetings
at the workplace can provide an important record if legal action is ever advisable.
- If you are a union
member, speak to your union representative. Unions are generally very committed
to eliminating sexual harassment in the workplace.
If you are
experiencing severe psychological distress, you may want to consult a
psychologist or other mental health professional who understands the problems
caused by sexual harassment.
Reprinted
from the Journal of the American Psychological Association
The American Psychological
Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and
professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is
the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes
more than 151,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and
students. Through its division in 50 subfields of psychology and affiliations
with 58 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to
advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting
human welfare.
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