Options
for Employees Experiencing Sexual Harassment
If you are a woman seeking advocacy around sexual harassment,
call the Kitchener-Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Centre at 519-571-0121.
For immediate support, call our crisis line at
519-741-8633.
Trust your instincts.
- If something makes you uncomfortable, there is a reason. Tell someone you trust. You may choose to see if it happens again, or see if it has happened to someone else. But don't ignore your feelings.
Record every incident in detail.
- Keep a journal of what happens. Write down everything you can remember including dates, places, times, details, gestures, words, etc. Record any witnesses to the harassment and your emotional and physical reactions in regards to the harassment
Keep records of your job performance.
- Harassers may try to discredit you and your job performance. They will have trouble if you have written proof that your work record has been good.
You do not necessarily have to confront your harasser.
- There are many reasons why you may not choose to confront your harasser directly. If you are feeling unsafe doing so, you should not be forced into that situation. If you are comfortable, a clear, principled confrontation surprises the harasser and throws him off balance.
Talk to someone to get support.
- Get support from someone you can trust; harassment has a big impact on your emotional and physical well-being. This could be someone be a friend, co-worker, a union member, or a counsellor/advocate from the Kitchener-Waterloo Sexual Assault Support Centre.
Consider your workplace’s or union’s harassment complaint procedure.
- If your company has a sexual harassment or generic harassment policy, the steps of a complaint process and/or resolution may be outlined there. Talk to a human resource representative, a co-worker, a union steward, a non-offending supervisor or manager.
Learn about your legal rights.
- Workplace Sexual Harassment is against the law. If you wish to explore options outside your workplace for a resolution to the harassment you are experiencing, you can talk to a lawyer, call the Ontario Human Rights Commission, or contact the Ministry of Labour (Occupational Health and Safety Division).
- The police can lay criminal charges against someone who physically sexually assaults, threatens or stalks you.
- You can contact the Canadian Human Rights Commission if you work for any of these: the federal government, Canada Post, the railways, an airline, the CBC, a radio station or a bank.
Options for co-workers when witnessing sexual harassment:
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