Harassment against women takes many forms, including sexual, racial, and electronic harassment; understand the different types, how to protect yourself, and where to seek help.
Harassment of women, sadly, is a pretty big deal. It’s way too common across different societies, and honestly, it’s important we understand what it looks like in all its forms. So, what exactly are we talking about when we say “harassment?”
We’re going to break it down a bit more, so keep reading!
- What is Harassment Against Women?
- Types of Harassment Against Women
- Tips to Protect Yourself from Harassment
What is Harassment Against Women?
Harassment against women? Well, it’s any unwanted action or statement that aims to threaten, offend or degrade based on gender. Think insults, abuse, sexual advances, or forcing someone to do something against their will. The goal? To cause physical or psychological harm to a woman or girl. It’s that simple–and that awful.
The scary thing is, because of social norms, shame, and fear, sometimes women don’t report certain types of harassment. This makes it easy to dismiss or ignore, which just perpetuates the problem.
Types of Harassment Against Women
Unfortunately, harassment comes in many forms. Here are a few main ones:
Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment, one of the most common forms, involves unwelcome sexual advances. This causes the woman physical and psychological distress. Examples?
- Asking for sexual favors.
- Making sexual gestures.
- Commenting on someone’s body or private parts inappropriately.
Racial Harassment
Racial harassment is any form of discrimination, mockery, insult, or belittling based on skin color or ethnic origin. Sadly, this type of harassment isn’t always seen as harassment against women but affects them immensely.
Harassment Through Stalking and Pursuit
Stalking involves pursuing a woman in places she frequents, or contacting her constantly through calls, messages, or other means, without her consent. It’s invasive, and, um, terrifying, right?
Electronic Harassment
Electronic harassment involves sending unwanted sexual messages or content, or threatening or abusive messages through digital channels. It also includes online bullying that targets a person socially or physically.
Workplace Harassment
Workplace harassment includes:
- Sexual harassment and assault by superiors.
- Requiring promotions to be earned through sexual favors.
- Discrimination based on gender, color, or race.
- Targeting employees with physical or psychological abuse.
Tips to Protect Yourself from Harassment
There are many things one can do to minimize the risk of experiencing harassment.
- Know your legal rights when it comes to harassment and don’t hesitate to seek help and report incidents to the authorities.
- Trust your instincts and prioritize your safety; this will reflect on your reactions and movements.
- Be firm about any behavior you don’t approve of, no matter the reason. An abuser is often someone who fears pushback from strong women.
- Trust your feelings. If someone’s words, jokes, or suggestions make you uncomfortable, express that discomfort, or simply avoid them or the situations in which they occur if you are scared or worried about the location.
- Be sure to be within groups you trust in unsafe locations during work, travel, or outings at any time.
- Avoid traveling alone late at night. Should this happen, make sure you’re ready and equipped to protect yourself physically. Female harassment begins when a woman is perceived as afraid.
- Seek help if you feel someone is harassing you, and try to change the subject or bring another person into the conversation.
- Be prepared to defend yourself, even verbally, if someone is harassing you. It’ll scare them off.
- Continuously learn self-defense techniques or possess defensive tools with which to defend yourself when you can, for example:
- Spray
- Pepper spray directed at the eyes.
- Carry keys between the fingers or a red chili pepper to rub in the harasser’s eyes as a form of self-defense.
- Be supportive of other women around you who are experiencing harassment. Offer help.
- If the harasser is someone with authority over you, such as your manager, professor, or a respected figure in the community, here’s what to do:
- Report them the first time they harass you and let them know you are not afraid of them. This lessens the chances of them continuing to act inappropriately with you.
- Talk about it with others. This can keep you safe and minimize future interactions.
- Allowing your children to recognize sexual assault by teaching them about their private areas.
- Seek help from civil society organizations that address violence against women in your country and against harassment of women.
I used to feel so powerless at work. The comments, the stares…it made me dread going in every day. But learning about my rights and connecting with other women who had similar experiences? It changed everything. Now, I speak up, and I feel like I’m making a difference, not just for myself, but for everyone.
Walking home at night was always a nightmare. I felt like I was constantly looking over my shoulder. Since I started carrying pepper spray and taking a self-defense class, I feel so much more confident. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s empowering to know I can protect myself.
Online harassment is so insidious. It follows you everywhere. I finally blocked the person who was harassing me and reported them to the platform. It was such a relief to take back control of my online space.
Myth & Facts
Myth: It’s just a compliment, she’s overreacting.
Fact: If the “compliment” makes the woman uncomfortable, it’s not a compliment. It’s harassment.
Myth: Women should just ignore it and it will stop.
Fact: Ignoring harassment often doesn’t make it stop, and can even embolden the harasser. Speaking up or reporting it is often necessary.
So, there you have it. Harassment is a spectrum, it’s pervasive, and it’s definitely not okay. We hope this article helped shed some light on the different forms it can take and gave you some practical tips on how to protect yourself and others. Remember, we’re all in this together, and by understanding the issue, we can start to make a real difference.
