A copy of this report in PDF format is available. Employers are liable for two types of sexual harassment. It is in the best interest of a company to have a clear policy on harassment including training and education for all managers and workers to encourage workers to speak out, to take prompt action and to protect the complainant from retaliation. The brave women who come forward to report sexual harassment are only the tip of the iceberg. Studies show most women don't report harassment and that usually only the most outrageous behavior leads to lawsuits.
Plaintiffs are more likely to lose their jobs than to win monetary awards or settlements.
Women who face sexual harassment may be further victimized by their employers. Often, a woman who complains is labeled a troublemaker and her character or work record is attacked while the alleged harasser is not investigated or reprimanded. Our schools, in many respects, are training grounds for sexual harassment. In Congress, in the courts and in the streets, NOW champions the right of women and girls to be free from sexual harassment. Pressure from NOW led to a commitment by Mitsubishi to improve working conditions, a process that NOW is monitoring closely.