Assignment 1 NG Xuan Xian 76021 g11

PBI 1082
ENGLISH FOR OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSES
Assessment 1 : Critical Response
Name & Matric No. : Ng Xuan Xian (76021)
Class Group : G11
Topic of Issue : Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Instructor : Madam Dayang Hartijah binti Abang Ahmad
Date of submission : 23 April 2021

Ng Xuan Xian (76021) G11
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Sexual harassment in the workplace defines as a verbal or physical act with a sexual nature,
performed in the workplace by a boss, manager, employee or even non-employee such as client,
contractor and customer in a working unit, that is unwelcomed by the person receiving it and has caused
the person to feel violated, insulted, and being in an uncomfortable environment. It can happen through
force, threat or create a hostile or intimidate working atmosphere. The examples of verbal and physical
acts with a sexual nature are joking or teasing with a sexual nature, making inappropriate sexual gestures,
inappropriate touching, sending inappropriate messages or emails and many more. This act does not
distinguish between male and female or their races and religion. In the 2019 YouGov Omnibus survey,
over 36% of Malaysian women and 17% of Malaysian men have experienced sexual harassment (Ho,
2019). The happening and increasing of sexual harassment in the workplace have caused absenteeism,
lowers the workplace productivity and caused psychological trauma to the victims. Hence, I believe that
there are many causes that lead to the happening of workplace sexual harassment and have not being
overcome yet. Therefore, in this critical response, I will be discussing on two points at what have caused
the sexual harassment rampant in the workplace rampant regardless of gender, races and religion, which
are the cultural and moral value system and status and power differences.
Firstly, the main reason that causes sexual harassment to happen in the workplace is the
difference in culture and moral values. In this multiracial country, sociocultural differences between three
main ethnic group which are Malay, Chinese and India have become one of the causes that lead to sexual
harassment in the workplace. For instance, certain kind of behaviors may be considered as inappropriate
or harassment by a certain race or religion person to another person with different race and religion.
Besides that, another example of cultural difference is the way of dressing up. Malays and non-Malays
generally have a totally different dressing style. Due to their religious dress code, Malay workers usually
wear loose and long clothing together with their Muslim headscarf which is known as “tudung”; however,
non-Malays which does not have specific religious dress code often prefers western fashion, such as short
sleeves, shorts, shirts and so on. This different kind of dress code has led to a misunderstanding that it is a
“welcome sign” for sexual harassment behavior. However, this social difference is not an excuse to
practice this sexual harassment. Everyone has their right to dress in any costume they are comfortable
with. Sachdev and Bourhis (1991) also states that race or religion with minority group members have less
secure of social status and experience more intergroup discriminatory behaviors. Zimbroff (2007) also
states that cultural beliefs and values is the main elements that be will be or not perceived as sexual
harassment. Hence, I agree that moral values and cultural difference is the reason that causes sexual
harassment to happen in the workplace.
Next, status and power difference has also become one of the causes of sexual harassment in the
workplace. One of the examples of is the status between gender, which is status of men and women.
Women which are known to have a lower status are often the common targets of sexual harassment by
men of higher status. For instance, men often the intended audience to comment on women’s gestures.
Although men claim that this “girl-watching” as a playful joke, but seem surprise when women start to
take offense, this shows men’s power to sexually judge women. However, changes in political and social
in recent years have caused changes in the power relationship. Women turn to be more educated and even
have a higher position in the workplace which men think it as a threaten to them. To overcome their
insecure feelings, men try to prove them by harassing women. They even take their gender and power as
advantage to practice sexual harassment. There’s a news about a young manager named Adilah was
sexually harassed by her former boss and she stated that her former boss used his position to harass her
(Tan, 2013). This shows that the status of a gender and their power or position will cause sexual
harassment to happen in the workplace. On the other hand, men also have the possibility to suffer in
sexual harassment too. Men may be easily targeted being harassed if they are known as feminine
(DeSouza & Solberg, 2004). DeSouza & Solberg also claim that men who are often targeted as victims of
sexual harassment because the harassers or the perpetrators think that they are not masculine enough.
Other group of people such as LGBT and gender nonconforming also have the possibility to be targeted.
Therefore, I agree that the status difference is also the main reason that workplace sexual harassment to
happen.
As conclusion, sexual harassment has become common issue in a workplace. There are still
people who are undergoing this problem. I agree to the point that cultural and moral value system and
status and power difference are the main causes of sexual harassment in the workplace. These reasons
should not take as granted to carry out workplace sexual harassment. Victims of sexual harassment should
take actions to defense themselves and fight for their justice. Everyone has the responsibility to overcome
this problem and create a congenial and comfortable working environment.
Reference
DeSouza & Solberg, J. (2004). Women’s and Men’s Reactions to Man-to-Man Sexual Harassment:
Does the Sexual Orientation of the Victim Matter? Sex Roles 50(9), 623-39.
Ho, K. (2019). Over a third of Malaysian women have experienced sexual harassment. Retrieved from
https://my.yougov.com/en-my/news/2019/08/06/over-third-malaysian-women-have-experienced-sexual/
Sachdev, Itesh & Bourhis, Richard Y. (1991). Power and status differentials in minority and majority
group relations. European Journal of Social Psychology, 21, 1-24.
Tan, K. (2013). Bullying in the Workplace. Retrieved from

https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/features/2013/10/22/bullying-in-the-workplace/
Zimbroff, J. (2007). Cultural Differences in Perceptions of and Responses to Sexual Harassment.

Retrieved from https://scholarship.law.duke.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1140&context=djglp

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PBI 1082

ENGLISH FOR OCCUPATIONAL PURPOSES

Assessment 1 : Critical Response

Name & Matric No. : Ng Xuan Xian (76021)

Class Group : G11

Topic of Issue : Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Instructor : Madam Dayang Hartijah binti Abang Ahmad

Date of submission : 23 April 2021

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace

Tan, K. (2013). Bullying in the Workplace. Retrieved from

Zimbroff, J. (2007). Cultural Differences in Perceptions of and Responses to Sexual Harassment.

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