Women may be subjected to unfair and discriminatory treatment of a sexual nature in their Florida workplaces. Sexual harassment makes it difficult for a victim to do her job, especially when working in a male-dominated environment, such as a branch of the United States military. To fight sexual harassment and lower the chance of it happening at any level, the Navy is looking at ways to stop it before this behavior even begins.
The way Navy leaders intend to do this is by addressing behaviors that fall into more of a gray area rather than blatant sexual harassment. This may include subtle yet suggestive comments, winking, brushing a hand up against another person, standing too close and more. While these are sexually suggestive behaviors, many don’t consider them to be harassment, and victims may be unsure if they should speak out.
The Navy is tackling these types of behaviors head-on. By targeting the more subtle inappropriate treatment some experience, leaders hope to develop healthy workplaces. It may also discourage further advances as gray-area behaviors can eventually become overt and aggressive harassment. Supervisors and others in leadership must address ambiguous situations appropriately, addressing problems before they can become much more serious issues.
Sexual harassment in the workplace is always inappropriate, no matter how minor or subtle it seems. If a Florida employee experiences this type of treatment, he or she may benefit from pursing legal recourse against the employer. A civil claim can allow a victim to recoup losses and hold liable parties accountable for pain and suffering as well as other damages.
