Types of harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment includes a wide range of behaviours of a sexual nature which cause another person distress. Behaviour which may be acceptable in one context can be inappropriate in other contexts. See also legal definition of sexual harassment Equal Opportunity Act 1995 - SECT 85.
Unacceptable behaviours could include:
- personally offensive verbal comments
- whistling, leering and/or staring
- sexual, crude, or smutty jokes
- repeated comments or teasing about a person's alleged sexual activities or private life
- persistent, unwelcome social invitations or telephone calls
- unsolicited letters, notes, graffiti, electronic messages
- obscene telephone calls
- offensive hand or body gestures
- physical contact such as patting, pinching, touching, or putting an arm around another person's body
- provocative visual material or posters with a sexual connotation particularly pornography
Sexual harassment is unlawful in the following areas:
- employment
- education
- accommodation and
- obtaining goods and services
In addition to current provisions covering harassment by employers to employees and between staff, the Equal Opportunity Act, 1995 (Vic) extends the definition to cover sexual harassment:
- between students
- between staff
- by staff to students and
- by students to staff