Most encountered it during medical school and residency. Colleagues and management staff were cited most often as the perpetrators of the harassment. Others said that no sexual harassment policy existed at their institution. During the past several years, the number of complaints of sexual harassment in the workplace has increased substantially as has the number of lawsuits alleging violations of state or federal law based on incidents of sexual harassment. Perceptions of what constitutes offensive behavior sometimes differ between men and women.
Men generally are less inclined than women to view sexual teasing as harassment.
An internal investigation followed by appropriate disciplinary action, when warranted, has been held to constitute a proper response in a number of cases. In the educational context, medical schools and medical trainees are often perceived as sharing an educational rather than an employment relationship. However, the EEOC has determined that interns and residents are sometimes considered to be employees of the medical schools that provide them with clinical training. As such, interns and residents may have the same legal standing as employees to file charges of sexual harassment and discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Sexual harassment is also widely prohibited under state law.