Sexual harassment is never permitted in the workplace. However, many people who experience it worry that no one will believe them or take their story seriously. They want to have more than just their own account of the harassment they faced. They are looking for direct evidence.
But what type of evidence can you present? Naturally, this is going to differ from case to case, but there are many different things to consider.
Witness testimony
To start with, if anyone else witnessed the behavior, having their testimony to back up your story can be very helpful. In some cases, victims find out that they were not the only ones affected. Someone else may have experienced the same type of harassment on the job, and they may be willing to speak up and corroborate the account.
Documented evidence
In some cases, these events may have been documented in certain ways in the workplace. For example, the office building may have security cameras, so there could be video or photographic evidence of the event. Perhaps you recorded video or audio of the incident while it was in progress, using your cellphone.
Digital evidence
Harassment does not always happen only in person. You may have experienced sexual harassment through email messages, text messages, social media messages or voicemails. It is important to keep all of these files and preserve any digital evidence that could be tied to the alleged harassment.
Building your case
Gathering evidence is just one step as you begin to put together your case. No one deserves to experience sexual harassment on the job, so be sure you understand what legal options you have.