An early use of the term was in a 1973 report about discrimination called 'Saturn's Rings' by Mary Rowe, Ph.D.

The phrase appeared in print in a 1972 issue of The Globe and Mail newspaper published in Toronto. The modern legal understanding of sexual harassment was first developed in the 1970s, although related concepts have existed in many cultures.Īlthough legal activist Catharine MacKinnon is sometimes credited with creating the laws surrounding sexual harassment in the United States with her 1979 book entitled Sexual Harassment of Working Women, she did not coin the term. 7.6.3.3 Sexual orientation discrimination.7.6.3.2 Hostile environment sexual harassment.7.6.1 Evolution of sexual harassment law.7.1 Varied legal guidelines and definitions.7 Evolution of law in different jurisdictions.6 Organizational policies and procedures.5.3 Post-complaint retaliation and backlash.For many businesses or organizations, preventing sexual harassment and defending employees from sexual harassment charges have become key goals of legal decision-making.

Sexual harassment by an employer is a form of illegal employment discrimination. The legal and social understanding of sexual harassment, however, varies by culture. Laws surrounding sexual harassment generally do not prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or minor isolated incidents-that is due to the fact that they do not impose a 'general civility code.' In the workplace, harassment may be considered illegal when it is frequent or severe thereby creating a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim's demotion, firing or quitting).

In modern legal contexts, sexual harassment is illegal. Harassers or victims may be of any sex or gender. Harassment can occur in many different social settings such as the workplace, the home, school, churches, etc. Sexual harassment includes a range of actions from verbal transgressions to sexual abuse or assault. Sexual harassment is a type of harassment involving the use of explicit or implicit sexual overtones, including the unwelcome and inappropriate promises of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. A recreation of a man making an unwelcome sexual advance on a woman by putting his hand on her thigh.

Textual harrasment