Repeated or Severe – Exercise #2
Terrance likes to talk about himself, including his sexual exploits, during a team meeting. Joanne takes him aside, tells him she finds his stories offensive, and asks him to stop. Terrance doesn't stop telling personal stories after Joanne's request, but he leaves out sexual references.
Ask yourself: Is this behavior severe, mild, or somewhere in between? Is this behavior frequent, a rare occurrence, or somewhere in between?
Then ask yourself: Would a reasonable person judge this behavior as sexual harassment?
Yes, No, Perhaps?
Terrance's stories are not likely a severe form of sexual conduct, and since he stops immediately when asked, his stories of sexual exploits will probably not be considered pervasive. It is highly likely that a reasonable person would not judge this behavior as sexual harassment.