Sexual harassment usually occurs at the women's or men's work and college and it's an unwelcome and persistent sexual advance, by the use of power, influence or authority by one person over another. The behavior is illegal, and it includes, for example, sexual jokes, unwanted touches, lewd comments, requests for sexual favors and others. The victim of the sexual harassment isn't, necessary, the harassed, but can be anyone who presented the behavior and finds it offensive and is affected by it.

The harasser, sometimes, imposes conditions to the victim to stay quiet and remain working. Those who suffer with this kind of problem, many times, feel weak to stop the situation and fear it. They think that their complaints won't be taken seriously. There are individuals that drop out of school, drop courses, change residence, neglect responsibilities or change their jobs to avoid the aggressor. They also can become irritable, moody and depressed and have physical symptoms of stress, such as headaches or stomach problems.

According to the National Council for Research on Women, women are 9 times more likely than men to quit their jobs, 5 times more likely to transfer, and 3 times more likely to lose jobs because of harassment. Ignoring the problem doesn't stop it: silence isn't the answer. The victim shall tell someone, like friends and colleagues, about the behavior. If it isn't too heavy, the harassed may talk first directly to the harasser, asking him to stop, because many times he doesn't know that this behavior is offensive or constitutes sexual harassment.

Documenting evidences of the abuse is important in a case of harassment. The victim can make notes of specific comments and behaviors, dates, keep copies or photograph any offensive material at the workplace, and keep these proofs at home. Incidents of sexual harassment in school must be reported to the school counselor or the local superior. The schools responsible must alert the teachers to distribute information about sexual harassment to the students. If a criminal behavior, like rape or sexual assault, has occurred, the victim must report this to the police as soon as possible.

More about Sexual harassment:
Sexual harassment