Developing A Sexual Harassment Policy :: Mmegi Online

Having explored the various components of sexual harassment over the last few weeks, and having made the point in the first piece that it is critical for each organisation or institution to develop a sexual harassment policy, to ensure the protection of their employees, as well as itself, it is vital to make a few suggestions of what to include in a sexual harassment policy.

This piece therefore gives a few suggestions of factors that should necessarily be included in a sexual harassment policy, emphasising that they may not be an exhaustive list, but that in closing this chapter on sexual harassment, there are ways of getting it right. The following suggestions are just that, suggestions.

For a long time, sexual harassment policies focused on managing or trying to minimise risk, as well as ensuring legal protection. The pivotal goal was to avert vicarious liability of a company, from sexual harassment suits. The anchoring idea of this piece, however, is that sexual harassment policies should take a survivor-centred approach, and therefore embody the principles of respect, decency and transparency in a work environment.

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