Ask a Sexual Harassment Lawyer: What Should You Do if You Suspect Multiple People Have Been Harassed? Posted: October 28, 2022 @ 5:32 am

Ask a Sexual Harassment Lawyer: What Should You Do if You Suspect Multiple People Have Been Harassed?

Experiencing sexual harassment can feel like an isolating experience, but usually, this inappropriate behavior does not exist in a vacuum. An individual who is sexually harassing one person often harasses others as well. If you believe that multiple people in your place of employment are being harassed, reaching out to them to confirm your suspicions can help you create a stronger case for taking legal action against your employer if they don't respond appropriately.

However, before taking steps to confirm others' harassment, you should secure the services of a sexual harassment lawyer in Kansas City, MO, to ensure that you navigate this challenging situation in a way that protects your interests. If you are not one of the individuals being sexually harassed, you should encourage them to contact an attorney and offer your support and statement as a witness.

Reaching Out

If your lawyer thinks it will benefit your situation to reach out to other individuals who have encountered sexual harassment in the workplace, you should follow their recommendations regarding contacting coworkers. It will help your case to have others who can corroborate your claims, whether they witnessed the harassment or experienced harassment from the same individual or individuals as you.

When bringing a sexual harassment lawsuit against an employer, having other employees willing to testify that they were also subjected to harassment at the same workplace can serve as concrete proof of your claims. Additionally, the fact that they can verify that harassment was allowed to continue after being brought to management's attention will enable you to build a strong case that your employer has allowed a hostile or offensive working environment to exist.

Human Rights Act

Sexual harassment is addressed in Missouri's Human Rights Act. The laws extend to businesses with six or more employees, government and state agencies, labor organizations, and employment and temporary staffing services. This act mandates that every individual has the right to be able to perform their job free from the threat of sexual harassment.

Seeking Support

Sometimes individuals are hesitant to speak out against sexual harassment, even if they have also experienced victimization. Just because an individual has not taken a stance against sexual harassment they witnessed in a group situation, it doesn't mean they won't agree to act as a witness or even share their own experience if you speak with them one-on-one.

However, they may not have pushed back against sexual harassment because they hold similar views as the perpetrator or fear that validating harassment will result in their employer retaliating against them. Your sexual harassment lawyer can help you evaluate the pros and cons of discussing harassment with others for the sake of your legal case.

The Bystander Effect

If your coworkers have not spoken up about sexual harassment they have witnessed or taken steps to intervene, it could be due to the bystander effect. The bystander effect states that individuals are less likely to help a victim if other people are present. The greater the number of people who witness a negative situation, the less likely anyone is to act. The diffusion of responsibility allows witnesses to convince themselves that someone else will do something.

Alternatively, if they are the only person present, they will be more likely to take action because the responsibility is placed on their shoulders. Social influence can also cause individuals not to act because others are not responding, and they don't want to deviate from the norm. If you are a bystander during someone's harassment, standing up to the harasser or even saying something like "that's inappropriate" can encourage others to push back as well.

Harassment Investigation

Legally, your employer must conduct a good-faith investigation of the harassment allegation. However, just because your employer is responsible for behaving ethically that doesn't mean they will. Some employers will retaliate against employees who come forward with harassment claims.

This retaliation could be as blatant as firing the victim or as subtle as giving them an unfair workload or changing their schedule. Your lawyer will be able to monitor investigation efforts and ensure your employer does not prevent the investigator from doing their job, doesn't retaliate against you, and reacts appropriately to the findings.

Contact a Lawyer Before Reporting

You may have to report sexual harassment to management or human resources before you can legally hold an employer responsible. You will also need to file a discrimination charge with your state's anti-discrimination agency or the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Contacting a lawyer before reporting harassment to your workplace or the EEOC can help ensure that you use the appropriate complaint system to communicate your grievances.

If you feel nervous about discussing your harassment with HR or management, your lawyer can help you craft an outline of incidents that details the harassing behaviors. Since it is only natural to become nervous when talking about intense topics such as sexual harassment with HR, having a game plan can give you confidence and ensure that you can clearly communicate the relevant information no matter how uncertain you feel.

Contact a lawyer if you, or others you know, are the victims of sexual harassment. A skilled attorney can help you establish the best way to proceed and guide you through informing your employer, filing a charge with the EEOC, and even bringing a lawsuit against your employer if necessary.

Author:

Jessica

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