Exploring the Different Types of Harassment

Published April 15, 2024

Harassment is a criminal offense and a civil wrong. It is a harmful act that can have a lasting impact on those who experience it. It’s certainly no joke, as one’s well-being is anchored on it. 

Many people also believe that harassment of a sexual nature is the only type of workplace harassment or harassment in general. But in reality, there are a lot of the kinds of harassment. All are discriminatory and damaging. 

In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about types of harassment, ways to deal with it, and how to prevent it. Let’s begin.  

What Is Harassment?

Harassment is unwelcome conduct based on the following: 

• Race 
• Color
• Religion
• Sex (involving sexual orientation, gender identity, or pregnancy)
• National origin 
• Older age (starting at age 40)
• Disability
• Genetic information 

The Most Common Types of Harassment

1. Physical harassment

It is a kind of harassment in the workplace that consists of physical attacks, threats, or assaults. It may manifest as workplace violence. An employee may be abused physically by being pushed, slapped, punched, or other physical harm by another employee. 

Examples of physical harassment are hitting, threatening behavior, kicking, and destroying property to intimidate someone. Individuals whose jobs are in healthcare, law enforcement, social services, and education, among others, are exposed to such harassment. 

2. Personal harassment

It can also be defined as bullying. It is not illegal and not discriminatory. It may look like passing dirty comments and inappropriate remarks about their coworker. It involves offensive jokes, criticism, intimidation, etc. If one is being put down constantly by condescending statements, it can be ruled as personal harassment. 

3. Discriminatory harassment

It is a type of harassment that is directed toward someone’s gender, sexual identity, race, or disability, among others. It may be painted as racist jokes, degrading comments, insults, etc. 

• Racial harassment. It is the harassment of someone based on their race, skin color, or citizenship status. 
• Gender harassment. It is when coworkers, supervisors, or any member of the organization discriminates against anyone at work because of their gender. Victims of such harassment can be men or women. It exists because of negative stereotypes surrounding how each gender should behave. 
• Religious harassment is harassment done to someone because of their religious beliefs. It includes tolerance of religious customs, traditions, and holidays. Some may also mean religious jokes. Pressuring people to convert to another religion is also harassment. 
• Disability-based harassment. It is a kind of harassment directed towards an individual who suffers any disability. It may also happen to someone acquainted with a disabled person or who uses disability services. It includes isolating the disabled person and refusing to render necessary and reasonable accommodations, among others. 
• Sexual orientation-based harassment. It is the harassment of someone whose sexual orientation varies from others. Individuals of any sexual orientation, such as gay, bisexual, or lesbian, can be victims. For one, a heterosexual man might be teased for being a hairdresser, and a homosexual man working in a salon. 
• Age-based harassment. It is being teased, insulted, unjustly criticized, and left out of meetings due to age. 

4. Psychological harassment

It is constantly being put down, and supervisors are scrutinizing their ideas. Those who face such harassment are more likely to experience mental breakdowns and low self-esteem. They may also feel unhappy about themselves. It can also look like taking credit for someone else’s work or making impossible demands and deadlines. 

5. Verbal abuse

It can worsen personal conflicts. Although it is not often illegal, it can make the victim uncomfortable and harm them if it goes unnoticed or unresolved. It includes yelling, cursing, and insulting. It may also involve offensive gestures and pointing at one’s body for a laugh. 

6. Sexual harassment

It consists of unwanted sexual advances, conduct, and behavior. It is the most common variation of workplace harassment. Examples of such harassment include sharing sexual photos or posters. It may consist of inappropriate sexual touching or gestures, passing sexual comments, or invading someone’s personal space sexually. 

7. Quid pro quo sexual harassment

It is a kind of exchange-based sexual agreement. It refers to when an employer makes the employee take part in a sexual act in exchange for giving any job benefits to the employee. Most of the time, the harasser is someone in top management, such as a manager or supervisor. The victim is subject to offers such as securing a promotion, raise, opportunities, and protection from demotion or dismissal. 

8. Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying may take many different forms and strategies. It includes messages intended to intimidate, deceive, denigrate, falsely criticize, and degrade. The acts are intentional and constant and indicate hostile behavior with the intent to harm. It is aggressive behavior that occurs through a digital medium. 

It can spread like wildfire and can be out of control. It torments the victims. In some cases, it has led to suicide. The victims can document the evidence of cyberbullying and report it to authorities. 

Types of Harassment That Need To Be Stopped

1. Power harassment 

A defining element of power harassment is the power imbalance between the harasser and the harassed. It involves using one’s power, which is higher in the office hierarchy, to bully the victim. supervisors and subordinates are frequently involved in these situations. 

Personal harassment, conduct of violence, and psychological harassment are all examples of power harassment. 

2. Retaliation harassment

Many individuals are unaware that retaliation harassment takes place in subtle ways. It happens when someone harasses someone to exact retribution for filing a complaint against them before and thus prevent them from filing another complaint. 

The following is a case of retaliatory harassment. 

• Person A lodges a formal complaint against Person B. 
• When person B learns about the complaint and who filed it, they will contact person A
• Person B will harass Person A as a form of retaliation to prevent further accusations. 
• In revenge, person A will be attacked by person B. 

3. Third-party harassment

It is a kind of workplace harassment in which the perpetrator is a third party outside the firm. The perpetrator can be the company’s supplier, vendor, client, or customer. 

Beginner personnel in low-status roles, such as cashiers and sales associates, are frequently the prey. They are easy targets because they lack experience and position in the firm. These victims are also reluctant to stand up for themselves because they are afraid of losing their employment. 

How To Deal With Harassment

Dealing with harassment can be challenging and stressful. Yet, taking decisive steps can help manage and mitigate its impact. 

1. Recognize and acknowledge the harassment.

• Understand what constitutes harassment. 
• Familiarize yourself with different forms of harassment. Recognizing that what you’re experiencing is indeed harassment is a vital first step. 

2. Acknowledge your feelings 

• It’s normal to have strong emotional reactions. Acknowledging your feelings as valid is essential for your mental health. 

3. Document everything 

• Keep detailed records. 
• Document instances of harassment. Include dates, times, locations, what was said or done, and any witnesses. This documentation can be necessary for any formal complaints or legal actions. 

4. Seek support

• Reach out for help
• Connect to friends, family, or trusted colleagues and talk about what you’re experiencing. These people can offer emotional support and advice. 

5. Professional support

• Consider seeking assistance from a counselor or therapist. Both can provide strategies for coping with the stress and anxiety that comes with harassment. 

6. Review policies and laws. 

• Understand your rights 
• Familiarize yourself with relevant laws and policies regarding harassment in your area or within your organization. 
• Review workplace or institutional policies. 
• If the harassment occurs at work or school. Review the policies for reporting harassment. 

7. Report the harassment

• Decide on reporting
• Consider the best course of action based on your situation. This might mean reporting to your employer, school administration, or law enforcement. 

8. Use formal channels

• Use the formal reporting channels rendered by your workplace, educational institution, or online platform. 

How Can We Prevent Harassment?

1. Establish clear policies and procedures.

• Develop and communicate anti-harassment policies
• Create a safe reporting mechanism. 

2. Educate and train 

• Regular training sessions 
• Awareness campaigns 

3. Promote a culture of respect.

• Lead by example
• Encourage diversity and inclusion.

4. Support bystander intervention 

• Empower bystanders
• Normalize intervention 

5. Provide support and resources. 

• Access to counseling and support services 
• Legal and advocacy resources 

6. Implement accountability measures

• Take reports seriously
• Consequences for harassment 

7. Foster open communication 

• Encourage feedback 
• Dialogue and discussion 

8. Leverage technology responsibly 

• Monitoring tools 
• Online resources