Digital Harassment - Why Sexual Harassers use texts and emails to Sexually Harass

posted by Neil Klingshirn  |  Oct 14, 2009 07:25 AM [EST]  |  applies to Ohio

The New York Post interviewed a friend of mine, Tim Dimoff,  for an article on digital sexual harassment, Textual overtones, Digital dogging is new tool for office sexual harrassers. The article reports that:
  • although harassers understand that emails leave a trail, they believe that instant messaging and texts do not and therefore still use them to harass - and they get caught;
  •  sharing private pictures on private cell phones can be sexual harassment when done in the workplace (does that surprise anyone?); and
  • emails or IMs that are not sexual in overtone can be harassing if used in a harassing fashion, such as by sending dozens of messages an hour demanding instant response.
The article also echoes the peril faced by the wrongfully accused. If a company is in doubt about whether digital behavior is acceptable, the easiest course of action is to terminate the accused.

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Neil Klingshirn

Neil Klingshirn
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