Some males working for Florida companies may see sexual harassment in the workplace as less of a problem in 2019 than they did when the #metoo movement began in 2017, but overall, awareness of workplace harassment has risen in the past two decades. A Gallup poll found that in February 2019, 62 percent of adults said they thought sexual harassment against women in the workplace was a serious problem. This was down from 69 percent in October 2017 but up from 50 percent in 1998.
Respondents were also asked whether they thought people were overly sensitive about workplace harassment. In the 2019 poll, 39 percent agreed that they were. In 2017, this number was just 30 percent, but in 1998, it was 53 percent.
Men and women differed significantly in their responses. For example, in the 2019 poll, 70 percent of women but only 53 percent of men thought workplace sexual harassment against women was a serious problem. Also in 2019, only 33 percent of women thought people were too sensitive compared to 45 percent of men. Women were more likely to suffer from sexual harassment in the workplace than men, with four times as many women as men saying it had happened to them. In 2019, 48 percent of women said they had experienced it compared to 42 percent in 2017.
Sexual harassment continues to be underreported. Women often fear that even if they report it through workplace channels and an investigation is launched, it will hurt their career. Getting South Florida sexual harassment legal assistance might help employees understand their rights and how to proceed. An attorney might also be able to advise about what to do if there is retaliation or if the workplace does not offer an adequate response.