University of Hawaii Manoa


Gender Equity: Types of Sexual Harassment

Quid pro quo (this for that): literally means "this for that".

  • In this type of sexual harassment submission to the conduct is made a term or condition, either explicitly or implicitly of obtaining education or employment
  • Or, submission or rejection of the conduct is used as a factor in decisions affecting that person's education or employment

For example:

  • when your professor, boss or TA, offers you a better or passing grade in exchange for sexual favors.
  • or threatens your grade status based on your response to his/her demands for sexual favors.

Hostile Environment
Occurs when an individual is subjected to unwelcome repeated sexual comments, innuendoes, visually offensive material or touching, which alters or interferes with school or employment performance or access to opportunities

  • The conduct has either the purpose or effect of interfering with a person's education or employment
  • The conduct creates an "intimidating, hostile or offensive" educational or work environment
  • This form of harassment does not have to involve your grade status and can be initiated by your professor, a school official or fellow student.

For example:

  • when physical, verbal or visual sexual harassment is severe enough to interfere with your schoolwork.

Other examples of sexual harassment:
Sexual remarks, innuendoes, jokes or comments; suggestive or obscene gestures or body movements; repeated requests for dates, after you have expressed disinterest; sexual graffiti or visuals such as calendars or posters; unwanted touching, grabbing, massaging, hugging or patting; pressure or repeated requests for unwanted social or sexual activity; spreading rumors about a person's sexuality; unwanted emails that are sexually suggestive; threatens to lower your grades if you don't accept any of the above.

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