Sexual harassment is a problem in virtually all industries, and many men and women across California and the nation fall victim to it at some point during their careers. Some victims of sexual harassment never come forward and report their experiences. Many of those who do find the strength to come forward find that they face unfavorable consequences after doing so.
According to Mercury News, a significant percentage of those who do speak out about sexual harassment in the workplace wind up either fired or retaliated against in the days that follow.
Termination and retaliation rates at the national level
A study initiated by researchers at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Center for Employment Equity showed that employers terminated 64% of sexual harassment claimants within a year of them making their reports. Even more sexual harassment claimants faced one or more types of retaliation at the hands of their employers or colleagues. About 68% of workers who made claims said they experienced retaliation after reporting sexual harassment.
Termination and retaliation rates in California
The University of Massachusetts at Amherst study also revealed key information about how often sexual harassment victims face termination or retaliation in California, specifically. The study showed that more than half, or 52%, of claimants, lost their jobs within a year of filing their claims. Another 70% of California’s sexual harassment victims who came forward experienced some form of retaliation in the aftermath of doing so.
Study findings also showed that, while men and women both face sexual harassment in the workplace, female employees are far more frequent victims of this type of treatment.