One-third of men surveyed say they’ve done something at work within the past year that would qualify as objectionable behavior or sexual harassment, according to a New York Times/Morning Consult poll.
The survey of 615 adult men who work full time was conducted on Nov. 27-Dec. 4.
The men were asked questions like whether they told sexual stories or jokes that some might find offensive, made gestures or used body language of a sexual nature or touched a colleague in a way that made him or her feel uncomfortable.
About 25% of men in the survey said they had done at least one of things that would be considered gender harassment, the most common type of offense. This includes telling crude jokes or stories and sharing inappropriate videos.
Some 10% reported they have engaged in behaviors that fall under unwanted sexual attention, like continuing to ask a coworker out for a date after they said no or making comments about someone’s body.
The New York Times and Morning Consult acknowledge that some of the men surveyed were probably unwilling to tell the truth, but both contend the results capture just how many admitted to some form of harassing behavior.
The poll comes as allegations of sexual harassment by high profile men continue to capture headlines and have ended careers of from Hollywood to Washington D.C.
Time magazine calls the women who have come forward as “The Silence Breakers,” bestowing on them the magazine’s distinguished Person of the Year award.
The movement has blown the lid off covert cultures of harassment that have persisted within the workplace, and Baton Rouge is no exception, according to a Business Report feature in the current issue.
The breakneck pace at which allegations are unfolding has businesses scrambling to prevent the next scandal from erupting within their own offices. That’s a good thing, local legal professionals say, because it’s prompting employers to rethink policies, making sure they’re in line with the law and designed to prevent sexual harassment.
“This has been a good wake-up call for employers,” says Scott Huffstetler, a labor and employment attorney at Kean Miller in Baton Rouge.
