Sexual Harassment

SEXUAL HARASSMENT-
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The concept of sexual harassment is relatively new. The term was coined in the 1960s in the United States. Of course, sexual harassment has always existed, but without a single term to describe the experience, there was little public discussion of the problem. Since the 1960's, however, the topic of sexual harassment has drawn a great deal of interest from both academic and legal scholars.

Catherine MacKinnon, a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, and Susan Brownmiller, an activist, are credited with initiating the study of sexual harassment as an issue of power instead of an issue of sex. Prior to their early work, sexual harassment had been interpreted largely as an instance of male sexual pursuit of women in the workplace or classroom, a normal biological attraction of males to females. MacKinnon, Brownmiller, and other scholars argued that sexual behaviors in the workplace or the classroom were not normal, but were instances of discrimination against women. They noted that the women receiving these unwelcome sexual advances were in inferior positions and roles and that the behaviors served to "keep women in their place."

Recently the focus on sexual harassment has moved from looking at the behavior as "sexual" to considering it as "harassment." All sexual behavior or references inappropriate to the workplace are considered harassment. Finally, the concept of sexual harassment as been extended beyond the workplace to educational institutions and other contexts.

Excerpted from: Penn State University Delaware Campus Information On Sexual Harassment

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1. What is Sexual Harassment?