Over the last few months, sexual harassment has been all over the news. From movie stars to politicians many influential people have been accused of sexual harassment. At the recent Golden Globes award show, actors and actresses wore a black-and-white pin inscribed with the words “Times Up.” The pin—which worn by stars like Justin Timberlake and Michelle Pfeiffer—references the idea that time is up for men who have been allowed to be sexually inappropriate with un-consenting women. Sexual harassment, however, is not something that only happens to celebrities.
Studies have found that bartending is the profession third-most vulnerable to nonfatal workplace violence. Only law enforcement and security are more dangerous is this regard. Much of this violence is due to sexual harassment. There is no one conclusive reason for this statistic to be true, but the consumption of alcohol and the party-like atmosphere of many bars are almost certainly factors. People also tend to see friendly and social behavior by a bartender as an invitation to make sexual advances.
Unfortunately, many bars and restaurants do not require their employees to undergo formal sexual harassment training. In fact, some bartenders and servers write off sexual harassment as merely a part of the job.
A New Hope
A program in Washington, DC called Safe Bars is hoping to put an end to workplace sexual harassment in bars and restaurants. The program trains staff on how to combat sexual violence which is directed at them as well as harassment directed at patrons. The program places special importance on bystander training. In many cases, sexual harassment could be stopped if bystanders who see the harassment stepped in. Research shows that bystander training is more effective than conventional sexual harassment training.
Sexual harassment can take many forms but it includes behaviors such as:
- Making jokes or comments about a person’s sex life or physical appearance;
- Touching someone in a sexual manner without their consent;
- Placing sexual pictures, videos, or other media in the workplace;
- Creating a hostile work environment with unwanted sexual advances;
- Offering workplace perks in exchange for sexual favors; and
- Staring at someone in a sexual manner or making sexual gestures toward him or her.
Let Us Help
At Mirabella, Kincaid, Frederick & Mirabella, LLC, our attorneys know that sexual harassment is unacceptable in any environment. We work with victims in order to bring those guilty of sexual harassment to justice. If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, contact a skilled DuPage County sexual harassment lawyer. Call MKFM Law at 630-665-7300 to schedule a confidential consultation today.
Sources:
http://money.cnn.com/2018/01/03/pf/bartenders-sexual-harassment/index.html
https://www.aauw.org/what-we-do/legal-resources/know-your-rights-at-work/workplace-sexual-harassment/
