C4SO Sexual Harassment Training Summary
Goal of the training:
• Fostering mutual respect, creating environment that prevents sexual harassment (SH)
• This training hopes to help people consider their own behaviors and have courage and knowledge to correct others when it happens
• Organizations that promote cultures of respect create an environment where harassment is less likely to occur in the first place.
C4SO’s philosophy behind the training:
• We treat others as made in the image of God
• All work and ministry should be free from harassment
• Matt 25:37-40 - doing unto the least of these is doing unto the Lord
1 - What is sexual harassment (SH)?
• Federal definition of SH: it is unlawful to harass a person because of their sex. SH can include unwelcome advances, requests for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
• Includes employees, applicants for jobs, volunteers, paid or unpaid interns, independent contractors, vendors
• SH can occur in variety of circumstances:
o Either gender can be a victim or harasser
o Victim does not have to be opposite sex
o Victim may not just be the person harassed, but anyone affected by the offensive conduct
o Unlawful SH may still occur without economic injury or discharge of the victim
o Rudeness and bullying can also constitute harassment
· Legally protected classes of victims can include: race, color, ancestry/origin, religion/creed, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender
2- Examples of how SH may occur:
• Rude and bullying behavior can lead to unlawful harassment.
• Examples of rude behavior:
o Not returning a friendly greeting
o Intentionally excluding someone from normal conversations
o Interrupting others
o Responding with frequent sarcasm or anger to normal interactions
• Examples of bullying:
o Yelling at others
o Making threats
o Spreading false info or rumors
o Attempting to destroy self-esteem/confidence
o Behavior meant to undermine, patronize, humiliate, intimidate, demean
• Examples of unlawful harassment behavior:
o Unwelcome sexual advances/invitations
o Unwanted touching, blocking movement, physically interfering with work
o Threats or demands to sexual requests as a condition of employment or to avoid some other loss, and offers of employment-related benefits in return for sexual favors
o Displaying/sharing offensive images (posters, videos, photos, cartoons, screen savers, emails, drawings, social media sites)
o Offensive comments about appearance, personal characteristics
Two specific types of unlawful harassment:
• Quid Pro Quo: “you do something for me, and I’ll do something for you”
• Hostile Work Environment: when there is unwelcome behavior related to a legally protected characteristic that is pervasive or severe and unreasonably interferes with an individual’s ability to do their job. It is the result of a pattern of behavior to reach this level usually, but one single severe instance can constitute hostile environment. Examples of hostile environment:
o Repeated crude jokes or request for a date
o Demeaning comments
o Widespread sexual favoritism
o Discussing a person’s physical appearances or mannerisms in a harmful way
3 - How to report SH:
• You have the right to tell the perpetrator to stop.
• You have the right to report the SH.
• Report a violation to Gypsy Savage, Administrative Pastor at Church of the Incarnation, who will connect with the ombudsman of the diocese.
• If the violation involves a member of leadership, reports can be made directly to the diocese here.