Common Examples Of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment can take many forms, from unwelcome comments and gestures to inappropriate touching and quid pro quo situations. Knowing common examples helps in recognizing and preventing it.
LearnTastic
09/16/2025
09/16/2025
Imagine you’re in a meeting when a colleague makes a lewd comment about someone’s appearance. You see the person shrink in their seat. It feels awkward, but few speak up. Yet this is one of the sexual harassment examples that happens every day and is more common than you think. In 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) reported over 7,700 sexual harassment cases, the highest in 12 years, up nearly 25% from the previous year.
When you know a sexual harassment example, you can spot these moments early and act before feelings get hurt or careers suffer. Recognizing the signs, like an uneasy joke, unwanted attention, or a tense atmosphere, you can help keep everyone safe. So, keep reading to learn some important tips on spotting and handling harassment day-to-day.
Read More: Sexual Harassment Training for Employees: Why and How to Conduct It
What Is Sexual Harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwanted behavior of a sexual nature, like comments, jokes, or gestures, that makes someone feel uncomfortable, scared, or unsafe. It can happen at work, school, or any public place and does not always involve touching.
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual or gender-based nature.
Read More: New Workplace Laws You Need to Know
How Is Sexual Harassment Different From Sexual Assault?
While sexual assault always involves non-consensual physical contact, sexual harassment can be entirely non-physical. You can see how the two differ in a number of ways by comparing each of them in the table below:
What Are The Common Sexual Harassment Examples?
Sexual harassment can show up in many places, one-on-one meetings, group settings like break rooms, or even at office parties where people feel more relaxed. It might look like unwanted comments, emails with inappropriate photos, or jokes made in front of others. Let’s look at some edge cases and sexual harassment examples that are specific to the workplace:
Physical Sexual Harassment
Any unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature, such as groping, patting, or brushing against someone’s body without consent. It also includes hugging, kissing, or blocking a person’s movement and forcibly exposing intimate areas.
Example:
A coworker grabs another’s arm, kisses them without permission, or blocks their path. Someone might tug on a colleague’s clothing or expose themselves intentionally.
Verbal Sexual Harassment
Unwelcome sexual talk or messages, like teasing someone with sexual jokes, making comments about their body, or asking them out over and over after they said no. This includes catcalling, asking rude personal questions, and using dirty language or insults.
Example:
A supervisor makes crude jokes about a colleague’s body, calls them by a sexual nickname, or repeatedly asks them out even after being turned down. Asking a trans person about their anatomy is also one of sexual harassment examples.
Non-verbal Sexual Harassment
Unwanted gestures or displays with sexual intent, like leering, making suggestive faces, or sharing pornographic images. It includes blocking someone to intimidate them and sending implicit signals through body language.
Examples:
A colleague stares at someone’s chest, flashes a sexual gesture, or posts explicit photos on a shared screen. Another blocks a coworker’s exit to intimidate them.
Cyber Sexual Harassment
Any unsolicited sexual content sent digitally, such as texts, emails, social media messages, or images. It also covers sharing private photos without permission (“revenge porn”) and persistent online stalking or unwelcome sexual advances.
Example:
A stranger sends explicit photos over social media, or an ex posts intimate images online without consent. Someone repeatedly DMs sexual comments despite being ignored.
Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment
This happens when someone in power ties promotions, raises, or keeps your job to agreeing to unwelcome sexual requests.
Example:
A manager promises a raise if an employee goes on a date, or warns they’ll be demoted if they refuse sexual favors.
Hostile Work Environment
Repeated or severe unwelcome sexual behavior, verbal, nonverbal, or physical, that makes the workplace intimidating or offensive. It creates difficulty performing job duties or feeling safe at work.
Example:
Frequent sexual jokes targeting one person, displaying explicit posters in shared areas, or coworkers making degrading sexual comments that make someone dread coming to work.
Read More: From Pay Gaps to Progress: The State of Gender Equality in the Workplace
What Should You Do If You Spot A Sexual Harassment Victim?
A survey by Stop Street Harassment reported that in the US, about 81% of women and 43% of men have been sexually harassed at least once. It is common in the workplace, and many cases go unreported. This is due to the stigma, including retaliation, damage to reputation, or a lack of confidence in the reporting system. A sexual harassment training helps professionals tackle these issues. It helps them identify sexual harassment examples and support the victim through:
Bystander Intervention
If you can do so without putting yourself at risk, create a distraction. For example, start a conversation with the victim or ask a neutral question to shift attention away from the harasser. Calmly ask the person if they’re okay or need help. Offer to stay with them or walk them away from the situation if that feels right.
Contacting Authority
If the harassment is getting worse or you worry about anyone’s safety, find a supervisor, security guard, or another responsible adult. Suggest counseling services or support hotlines (e.g., EEOC, local sexual assault centers).
Enlist Others
If you don’t feel safe stepping in alone, ask nearby people to help. A group is often more effective at interrupting harassment than a single person. Ask others calmly and clearly for help, so that the focus remains on protecting the victim and defusing the situation together.
Support the Victim
Give them a chance to talk without judgment. Thank them for trusting you and let them know the harassment was not their fault. Help them find resources, such as how to report the incident at work or school, or offer to accompany them to file a complaint.
Take The First Step With Sexual Harassment Training
Awareness of physical, verbal, non-verbal, cyber, quid pro quo, and hostile environment behaviors helps you identify sexual harassment examples and take steps to intervene. When you see someone being targeted, take steps to intervene safely: create a distraction or ask for help. Next, report the incident to the right person and offer support afterward.
Harassment does not require touch and can occur in same-gender contexts; therefore, any unwelcome action is serious. Keep track of what happens and use workplace or legal channels to resolve the issue. Every supporting action encourages respect and safety.
Ready to make your workplace and community more inclusive and safe? Enroll in a sexual harassment prevention training today.
FAQs
Can people of the same gender engage in sexual harassment?
Indeed, sexual harassment can occur to people of either gender. According to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, courts have declared that same-sex sexual harassment is illegal. Under anti-harassment rules, complaints that violate someone's dignity or modesty are actionable.
If there is no physical touch, is it still sexual harassment?
Yes, verbal, visual, and nonverbal actions are all considered forms of harassment under the rules set forth by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Even in the absence of physical contact, they can take the kind of offensive jokes, emails, gestures, or pornographic pictures that foster a hostile work atmosphere.
What should you do if you have experienced sexual harassment at work?
Document every occurrence (dates, times, locations, witnesses) and keep any proof (emails, texts). Please notify your employer or the designated committee right away. Follow formal complaint channels, seek assistance from peers or counselors, and, if no action is taken, pursue external legal or regulatory possibilities.
Are employers compelled to offer sexual harassment prevention training?
Yes, numerous states, including California, New York, Connecticut, and Illinois, require training. For example, California requires firms with five or more employees to provide sexual harassment prevention training every two years.
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