Should Sexual Harassment Be Reported?

Sexual harassment cases tend to share two common themes.  First, the sexual harassment victim often becomes a target for retaliation after she reports it.  Second, if a woman reports sexual harassment and human resources investigates, they almost always determine that sexual harassment did not occur. 

My advice to sex harassment victims is not to report it until they have sold proof of the harassment and even then, you need to accept the fact that your career will be jeopardized.      

In a case I tried last year, a human resources veteran from Citibank testified that she had conducted over 50 sexual harassment investigations in her 20 year career at the bank and never once found that sexual harassment had occurred.  Also, in that case, the victim was subject to severe retaliation after she reported her boss.  My client's once sparkling career was ruined and she was driven from the bank.  Human resources turned on her.  In the end, my client won at trial but it was a long road.  

Victims of sexual harassment have a tough choice.  If you really want to report the harasser, you first need to make sure you have solid proof like emails, tape recordings of the harassment or reliable eye witnesses.  If you don't have rock solid proof, you run a big risk of ruining your career.