Sexual harassment in South African and American law

View/ Open
Date
2002Author
Snyman-Van Deventer, Elisabeth
De Bruin, Jaco
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
English: Sexual harassment in the workplace is a grave problem and a significant obstacle to
access to many sectors of the labour market. The number of sexual harassment complaints
increases dramatically every year, although researchers estimate that 80 to
90% of such cases go unreported. Despite the high figures, few South African court
cases and little of the legal literature deals with sexual harassment. The reason for this
is that few victims of harassment report it for fear of losing their jobs or being ridiculed.
Sexual harassment is an infringement upon a person’s personality and thus an
iniurandi. Negligence never suffices to prove liability. The South African Constitution
determines that no-one shall be discriminated against and this provision includes a
person’s right to work without harassment or discrimination. It is therefore essential
that all employers ensure all employees of a safe environment without discrimination.
Employers must adopt a policy on sexual harassment, communicate it to all employees
and ensure that it is adhered to. If harassment does take place, the procedure and
disciplinary process prescribed in the policy must be enforced. Afrikaans: Seksuele teistering in die werkplek is ’n ernstige probleem en ’n wesenlike belemmering
vir die toeganklikheid van die werksplek. Die aantal klagtes rakende seksuele teistering
neem jaarliks drasties toe. Navorsers beraam dat 80 tot 90% van gevalle egter nie gerapporteer
word nie. Ten spyte van die groot aantal gevalle word daar relatief min aandag in
die literatuur en howe aan seksuele teistering gegee. Die rede is dat min mense wat geteister
is die saak aanhangig maak, uit vrees dat hulle hul werk kan verloor of bespot kan
word. Seksuele teistering is ’n skending van die persoonlikheidsregte van die individu en
dus iniurandi. Die Suid-Afrikaanse Grondwet bepaal dat daar nie gediskrimineer mag
word teen enige persoon nie, wat ’n persoon se reg om sonder teistering te werk insluit.
Dit is derhalwe noodsaaklik dat werkgewers ’n veilige werksomgewing sonder diskriminasie
vir alle werknemers verseker. Gevolglik behoort werkgewers ’n beleid rakende
seksuele teistering daar te stel en sorg te dra dat dit aan werknemers gekommunikeer
word. Indien seksuele teistering wel plaasvind, moet die prosedure en dissiplinêre proses
soos uiteengesit in die beleid gevolg word.