559).
There are many different causes and motivations for sexual harassment. One theory is that men and women are socialized differently in American culture (Bravo and Cassedy, p. 62). Men are socialized to initiate sex, to be aggressive, and to combine the two. Another hypothesis is that men and women have conflicting perceptions about sex. Men and women have different perceptions of what is sexual and what constitutes sexual harassment (Bravo and Cassedy, p. 64-65). Men often interpret women's behaviors as sexual, thus concluding that the behavior is a "come-on- and often find it flattering. Women, on the other hand, may view similar behaviors differently. Women are therefore less likely to be tolerant of certain behaviors. It is important to remember that sexual harassment is a crime of power and control-not sex. The offender uses harassment as a way to manipulate and control the victim. Many men view women as inferior and this is reinforced by the reality that most women are subordinate to men in the work world (Colatosti and Karg, p. 3). This is why women are subject to sexual harassment more often than are men. In sexual harassment cases, like many other crimes involving sex (such as rape), the burden of proof is unfortunately in the hands of the victim, instead of the harasser. This often makes the victim feel as though the harassment is somehow his/her fault. This reality is detrimental to the victim because it does not validate his/her claim.
A clear definition of sexual harassment helps make it easier to recognize and harder for people to doubt their feelings, observations and experiences. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an agency that enforces laws regarding discrimination in employment, defines sexual harassment as:.
"Unwanted sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or .
physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when .