I entered the workforce one summer at fourteen. I was a hostess at Johnny Rockets a few days a week and loved having my own money. My father worked across the boardwalk and came in every day for lunch. I had no idea what sexual harassment was, and I’m sure my father thought that was the last thing he’d have to worry about with his fourteen-year-old daughter.
I wasn’t prepared. I knew I wasn’t comfortable, but I laughed along with the jokes I didn’t understand. I had kissed a boy last summer, but I didn’t know how to handle the seventeen- and eighteen-year-old boys trying to corner me in the cooler or other dark places in the restaurant. My father was a mere fifteen feet from the restaurant, but how could I tell him the boys at work made me feel uncomfortable? I wanted to be liked, but I lacked any confidence in my feelings to be able to say, “Hey, this isn’t right.”
This was the beginning of a trend throughout most of my employment. From restaurants and dinner theatres in high school to sales and retail jobs in my early adulthood, I would laugh along with the inappropriate jokes and learned avoidance. I never knew how to stand up for myself.
I wish someone had sat me down and explained what might happen in the workplace. I wish someone had prepared me so I could have handled myself better.
Sexual harassment isn’t limited to adults in corporations, nor are they always so black and white that every situation has a clear bad guy. Sexual harassment is murky territory. The most important question you need to ask yourself, or that of your teenage daughter, is “do you feel uncomfortable.”
The lawyers at The Kaufman Law Firm have extensive experience with sexual harassment law. Their highly sought team is dedicated to fighting back. If you or someone you know has suffered harassment, discrimination, or been wrongfully terminated, you need an employment law attorney in Los Angeles, California. At The Kaufman Law Firm, our aggressive and comprehensive approach to employment law has successfully helped people secure the compensation they deserve. Contact us today for a consultation.
A new report from UC San Diego Health has found that sexual harassment has worrying trends in California.
Sexual harassment towards teens also has some worrying statistics. According to a recent study from The Harvard School of Education,
Instead, the Harvard study has found large numbers of teens floundering without any role models or points of authority to help them understand sexual harassment or gender discrimination.
Make sure your teenage children understand what sexual harassment is and how to handle a confrontation. Help them respond to social pressure, recognize discrimination, and show them how to respect each other and themselves.
If your teenager has confidence that you will understand and be there for them, they are more likely to admit when they’ve been sexually harassed. That’s where we come in. When you need a sexual harassment attorney in Los Angeles, California, call The Kaufman Law Firm today. We will fight for your rights and see that you are compensated fully. Contact us for a consultation by clicking here or calling us at 818-990-1999.