Ellen Bravo, who directs Family Values @ Work, a network of state coalitions working for family-friendly policies, told Business Insider sexual comments or requests that you find unwanted or offensive and inappropriate touching are the first sign of sexual harassment.
Bravo, who has extensive experience writing and training on the subject of sexual harassment, including co-authoring "The 9 to 5 Guide to Combating Sexual Harassment" and authoring "Again and Again," a novel about date rape, said that this can include a number of scenarios.
For example, if someone:
· Stands too close and talks in an intimate way.
· Keeps looking at or commenting on your body in a way that makes you uncomfortable. There's a difference between saying "nice dress" and "that dress really shows off your curves."
· Asks you about your personal life, including your romantic or sexual experiences.
· Insists on talking about their own sexual experiences.
· Keeps trying to get you to meet alone outside of work.
· Shows you pornographic materials or tries to get you to talk about a sexually-charged movie or song or other such topic.
"The best guideline is the 'uh-oh' feeling," Bravo said. "You think the person knows they are making you uncomfortable and is enjoying that power over you."