Everyone in the GIS Center received an email requiring us to undergo the online harassment training. The training took about 20 minutes to complete, and it was worth it. Let me share to you some of the things I read from the South Dakota Board of Regents document.
Online Harassment Training
* In 1976, it was noted that 9/10 women in the work force reported feeling some type of harassment or discrimination.
* In 1980, it was noted that 42% women and 15% men in the workforce reported feeling some type of harassment or discrimination.
* In an Internet article titled “Sexual Harassment Statistics – Sexual Harassment Statistics in the Workplace” written by Nikki Katz, a telephone poll conducted by Louis Harris and Associates on 782 workers revealed:
o 31% of the female workers claimed to have been harassed at work
o 7% of the male workers claimed to have been harassed at work
o 62% of targets took no action
o 100% of women claimed the harasser was a man
o 59% of men claimed the harasser was a woman
o 41% of men claimed the harasser was another man
What Is Harassment?
Harassment is conduct toward another person that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile, or demeaning environment and that interferes with his or her ability to participate in or realize the intended benefits of an institutional activity, employment or resource. Where the individual who is the target of the conduct does not perceive as intimidating, hostile or demeaning, there is no harassment.
Harassment consists in most cases of more than casual or isolated incidents. Consideration should be given to the context, nature, scope, frequency, duration and location of the incidents, whether they are physically threatening or humiliating as opposed to merely offensive utterances, as well as to the identity, number and relationships of the persons involved.
Harassment shall be found where, in aggregate, the incidents are sufficiently pervasive or persistent or severe that a reasonable person with the same characteristics of the victim of the harassing conduct would be adversely affected to a degree that interferes with his or her ability to participate in or to realize the intended benefits of an institutional activity, employment or resource.
What is Discrimination?
Discrimination is defined as disparate treatment toward a protected class. A protected class is defined by the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission as having the following characteristics: Age, Religion, Race, Sex, Disability, Color, Gender, National Origin, Creed, Military, Pregnancy, Marital Status.
Harassment and discrimination is a violation of the expectation that every individual, student or staff member, deserves to be treated fairly and with respect for his or her dignity as a person. Therefore, no form of harassment or discrimination of employees, students, and others associated with the institutions be permitted.
