From LawGuru Sexual Harassment Law FAQs 30

What are examples of a hostile or offensive work environment?

Being the butt of sexually-charged jokes or pranks, being grabbed or whistled at, sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature can create a hostile work environment and can qualify as sexual harassment. Conduct that makes the workplace sexually charged does not need to be directly aimed at the person being harassed in order for it to be actionable. For example, being subject to pornographic posters/pictures or profanity can still create a hostile work environment.

What are some examples of sexual harassment in schools?

The following are some possible examples of behavior that a court might find to be sexual harassment:

1. A teacher or student continually making sexually explicit comments to a student;

2. A teacher touches a student repeatedly, makes suggestive comments or asks the student to have sex;

3. Repeated and persistent requests for a date in the face of a clear indication of a lack of interest; and/or

4. A group of male students stand in the halls and make sexual comments and proposition female students as the walk by.

Updated: 09/24/99