Women are responsible for being sexually harassed by the way they dress and by provocative speech and behavior. The most common motivation for sexual harassment is power and aggression, not sexual desire. Victims who believe this myth have tried unsuccessfully to stop the harassment by making their physical appearance as unattractive as possible and otherwise behaving to discourage the harassment. Nor are sexual harassment victims limited to young or physically attractive people. If an employee asks another employee for a date, this could be grounds for sexual harassment charges.
Rejection is no cause to retaliate through sexual harassment.
When a person makes it clear that the advances are unwelcome, his or her wishes must be respected. Women who enter a predominately male field should expect to put up with rough language, dirty jokes and hazing. The women are not being treated any differently than the men treat each other. It is not business as usual, but rather the men escalate the foul language or sexual conduct to test her or make it difficult for her to succeed. Intensified, ongoing, sexually directed conduct has therefore been held to be sexual harassment.