Sexual Harassment Essay Research Paper Sexually Harassment

Sexual Harassment Essay, Research Paper

Sexually Harassment at Clark Atlanta University

For many years issues regarding sexual harassment has been kept quiet

and swept underneath the rug. However, presently, more and more

people are speaking up and out about being sexually harassed. In the

schools, students, as well as, teachers are informed of the school s sexual

harassment policy and that it is not to be tolerated in any form or fashion.

Also, since sexual harassment has become an major issue in the

workplace, men and women are told about a company s policy of

sexual harassment at the time of the company s orientation. They are also

educated about the consequences behind such undesirable behavior or

acts, which could lead to job termination or probation with a company.

Hence, more and more companies are gradually doing away with

employee-employee relationships on the job, especially if one of the

employees hold a high position or a certain status. In any event, when

filing a sexual harassment complaint their are specific procedures that a

person must follow. These procedures varies form institution to institution.

This paper will evaluate the proper procedure in filing a sexual harassment

complaint at Clark Atlanta University and the reaction received from the

administration and students when such accusations are brought before

the public.

In filing a sexual harassment complaint at Clark Atlanta University one

must follow specific guidelines. First, anyone who feels that he or she has

been the victim of sexual harassment should contact the Director of

Human Resources in Harkness Hall within 15 working days of the incident.

The report can be made verbally or written. If the report is written they

must submitted a signed statement of the complaint within (3) working

days.

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Secondly, after the Director has received the complaint, they will contact

the person who allegedly initiated the sexual harassment and give them

(7) working days to respond to the complaint. Thirdly, upon receiving the

response from the alleged person, the Director carefully reads the

response and facts and summaries the complaint. She then sends this

summary to Provost. Provost after reviewing the facts of the investigation,

which includes interviews with all parties involved, will determine if sexual

harassment has occurred or not. Then all parties will receive a written

notice of Provost decision.

Fourth, if Provost does decided that sexual harassment took place severe

disciplinary action including discharge will be taken. This act depends on

the severity and frequency of the offense filed. Finally, if he or she fail to

file a written complaint after verbally making the sexual harassment

report within (3) working day will be considered to be a withdrawal. Also,

if the person whom the complaint was filed against fails to respond in (7)

working days, disciplinary measure will be taken under these

circumstances.

In addition, in my pursuit to filing a sexual harassment complaint at

Clark, I decided to do an experiment involving my physical appearance.

Meaning, I changed from my normal attire into an attire that most would

probably be consider inappropriate. The intent of my experiment was to

capture the administrations nonverbal cues such as their facial expression

and body language directed towards me when both the students and

the administration hear the topic of discussion. Unfortunately, nonverbal

cues often discourage victims from filing a sexual harassment complaint.

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The victim may feel as if they are treated like the offender instead of the

victim. So, in search to find out whether the administration s nonverbal

cues were going to be warm, cold, compassionate, or neutral; I wore an

slightly inappropriate attire. As my friend and I walked into the students

affair office, I noticed to my right a lady seating behind a desk and

another women sitting in front of her in a chair. I told the lady seating

behind the desk that my name was Keisha Avis and I wanted to know

the proper procedure in filing a sexual harassment complaint. Waiting for

her response and watching for her nonverbal cues , I received a kind of

distant, but cold stare. The lady began to talk, but her focus was not on

me. She kept fumbling around with papers on her desk and I barely got

any eye to eye contact. She informed me that the person whom I should

speak to about this matter was out of town at the moment and would not

be back until tomorrow. At that moment, I asked the lady is their anyway

that the person whom I needed to speak with could see me tomorrow on

account of I have a research paper to write and I needed to get more

information about filing a sexual harassment complaint at Clark. After I

told her this complaint was dealing with a research paper that I had to do

for a class, she made a comment which I considered to be disturbing.

She said, I m glad that this was a paper because Clark did not need

anymore negativity. All of a sudden, her perception of me seemed to

change, not to mention, her nonverbal cues. Her I eye-to-eye contact

became stronger and the tone in her voice lightened up a little. She

seemed to be more eager to help me now than she did previously.

Furthermore, I came back to that office the next day and the person

whom I was suppose to speak with was still not there. I asked the lady

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whom I spoke with the day before was there anyone else that I could

address about this matter. She assisted my friend and I to another lady

who s office was on the left. We enter into the office and I again

introduced myself to her and I told her that I wanted to find out the

proper procedure in filing a sexual harassment complaint. She replied, I

honestly do not know what the procedure is when filing a sexual

harassment complaint at Clark, but it is handle in Harkness Hall on the 2nd

floor in the Human Resource Office. So, my friend and I walked to

Harkness Hall to the Human Resource Office and again I introduced

myself to the two ladies sitting in the office. I informed them of the reason

for me being there, which was to file an sexual harassment complaint.

Again, looking for nonverbal cues I received a bland and expressionless

facial expression from the both of them. I told the ladies that someone in

the Student Affairs Office told me to as for Ms. Blank and said that she

could help me with this matter. One of the ladies spoke up and said, I m

Ms. Blank. I proceeded to tell her that I was doing a research paper on

this topic and I needed to get more information about this subject. She

said, the only thing that I can do is give you a card with the person in

charge name and extention and you should call them back some time

tomorrow. So, the next day I call the person in charge and she basically

told me that the information I needed was in the student handbook and

that the information she would give me about the procedure in filing a

sexual harassment complaint would be right out the student handbook as

well. Then, I asked her could she confer any information about sexual

harassment complaints that have been filed in the past. She told me that

she could not because she was not sure if she could release that kind of i

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information and that she would have to speak with the Director of

Human Resources before doing so.

Finally, I contacted Public Safety and told them that I wanted to know

the procedure in filing a sexual harassment complaint and Sergeant Reid

instructed me to come down to her office to talk. At her office, she gave

me information about Clark s procedure in filing a sexual harassment

complaint. She also informed that last year Clark only had one filed

sexual harassment case. Public safety s definition of sexual harassment

involves physical contact between the two parties.

She enlightened me in regards to a case involving a teacher and

student. The young lady at the University claimed that a teacher fondled

her breasts one day in his office while they were going over some

classwork. She reported this to Human Resources and the Director of

human resources notified the teacher and instructed him to report to the

public safety office at a specific date and time. When the teacher was

asked about the charges brought against him; he admitted to committing

the charges, but claimed that they were mutual. Public Safety filed a

case against him and both parties had to go to court. Public safety also

found out that a colleague of his filed a similar complaint in reference to

sexual harassment. Unfortunately, public safety does not know the

outcome of the court case. In 1998 two cases of sexual harassment were

reported and filed with public safety. One dealing with an off-campus

stalking. A girl on campus was being harassed by someone who did not

attend the university. The other case dealt with domestic violence. A

couple at the university spilt up and the young men in the relationship did

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not want to leave the young lady alone. He made obscene gestures to

her, as well as, comments involving their love life.

Moreover, I interviewed 50 students at Clark, 25 males and 25 females.

I asked both groups have they ever been sexually harassed physically or

verbally. Sixteen of the females reported have be sexually harassed

verbally, 7 reported to have been sexual harassed physically, and 2

reported that have never been sexually harassed. When I interviewed

the males on campus, all 25 of them reported that they have never been

sexually harassed physically or verbally.

In conclusion, in my pursuit of filing a sexual harassment complaint at

Clark Atlanta University, I feel very discouraged. I honestly feel that

Clark s administration handled themselves inadequately. Some of the

administration staff did know of their institution s policies or procedure and

were not helpful in helping me find knowledge pertaining to my situation.

Their nonverbal cues were desolate. I felt like they were not really

concerned with the accusation I brought forth to them. I assume my

appearance played an important role in their efforts in helping with this

matter. I gather that the administration let their perception and first

impression of me influence their nonverbal responses towards me. My

clothes conveyed one message of me, but my personality conveyed

another. I can only imagine the thoughts that may have crossed their

minds when I told them that I want to know the procedure in filing a

sexual harassment compliant. All in all, from my own personal

experience, I do not feel confident in filing a sexual harassment complaint

at Clark. I seriously, doubt that I will be treated fairly. I believe that

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people s personal judgments will interfere with the proper procedure of

filing a sexual harassment complaint. However, I could be wrong! For many years issues regarding sexual harassment has been kept quiet