I'm doing a organiztional behavior paper on sexual harassment in the work force and why so many people choose not to report it. I am having some trouble finding information on the topic. If there is any way that you could point me in some kind of direction it would be greatly appreciated.

From my perspective, where I get many notes from individuals who are being sexually harassed, I think there are many reasons why someone would not report such an incident. Primarily, I think there is confusion about what sexual harassment is. There seems to be some gray middle area that doesn't fit the legal definition of sexual harassment--i.e., that it is either quid pro quo or hostile environment--and is more sexual and gendered than job discrimination. For instance, what happens when the harassment is from a subordinate or a peer? This falls outside of the legal definition of sexual harassment. Also, what happens when it is a small business that is exempt from federal sexual harassment laws?

Furthermore, anyone who has followed sexual harassment cases knows that it just takes so long to see your case through and in the process you are subjected to so much other harassment--for instance, questions about why you had to speak up. Being subjected to this additional harassment and this long-drawn out process isn't inviting. So I think the one conclusive answer is that we don't know enough about what sexual harassement is and isn't, nor we do know enough about how to stop it. Good luck.

—Amy