Sexual harassment of men revealed July 18, 2006
Posted by C.A.R.D in Card, Citizens Against Racism and Discrimination, Discrimination, female, harassment, male, managers, Sexism, Sexual harassment, stereotype, survey.comments closed
A hidden world of sexual harassment, with female managers exploiting their power over men in the office, has been unveiled by a new government survey.
Despite the common stereotype of the male executive putting pressure on his secretary, two in five victims of sexual harassment are men, the study found.
A quarter of the men questioned in the Department of Trade and Industry survey reported being pestered by a client whom they also felt obliged to please.
According to the Equal Opportunities Commission, 8 per cent of calls to its sexual harassment helpline are from men, even though research shows male victims are less likely than women to complain. It insists that male complaints should be taken just as seriously. ‘It affects both women and men, causing stress, health problems and financial penalties when they leave their jobs to avoid it,’ said Jenny Watson, chair of the EOC.
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