Sexual harassment cases often revolve around power dynamics. In some senses, harassment may be more about one person demonstrating their power or standing over a fellow employee. For instance, if a boss is sexually harassing their secretary, it may be less about any perceived romantic relationship and more about the boss demonstrating their standing in the company hierarchy.
On the other side of the coin, though, some types of sexual harassment are only possible because of power dynamics. This is often true if there’s a hostile work environment. If 10% of employees feel that the other 90% are creating a hostile work environment for the rest of them, they may feel relatively powerless to put a stop to it because they are in the minority.
It can make reporting harder
Power dynamics can also make it more difficult for employees to report what’s happening on the job. For instance, if that hypothetical secretary reports their boss to HR, they may be worried that no one is going to believe their story. Their boss will simply deny it and say that the employee is misinterpreting things or even making up stories to try to get back at them for some perceived offense.
Additionally, the power dynamics themselves mean that employees may fear losing their job. Is that secretary’s boss simply going to fire them as soon as they make the report and hire a new secretary who won’t speak up about what happens in the office? Such a thing would be a form of illegal retaliation, but that doesn’t stop it from happening—and employees are rightfully concerned about it.
For all of these reasons and more, it is critical that employees understand their rights and the legal options they have when experiencing any type of harassment or discrimination.