The Most Pressing Social Problem in America Today

The Problem 

Sexual harassment is one of the most unrelenting social problems in the US currently, considering the increasing statistics regarding the issue. Sexual harassment involves the indulgence in explicit sexual overtones or inappropriate rewards that are provided in exchange for sexual favors. The fact that the issue of sexual harassment is considered the most pressing issue in the US States is because it occurs in different social settings such as the workplace, schools, home, churches. The most important aspect to note about sexual harassment is that anyone can be affected regardless of gender. When addressing the issue of sexual harassment, it is necessary to understand actions that are passed as assessment, which helps in the identification process of sexual harassment cases. The most prevalent types of sexual harassment activities include sexual abuse, verbal transgressions, and assault. Engaging in any form of sexual harassment actions is considered illegal in the United States.

History of the Problem 

The issue of sexual harassment in different aspects of social life has been in existence since the formation of humankind. However, the number of cases involving sexual harassment was not alarming given that the cases were rare. In the early 1970s, sexual harassment became codified in the United States, which is an aspect that was associated with increased cases of sexual harassment. The majority of the cases filed during this time involved sexual harassment in the workplace, where most people reported that they were required to return sexual favors for them to get job opportunities or appraisal. Since the first cases, there have been numerous cases that are reported on a daily basis involving different kinds of sexual harassment in society. Additionally, the implications of sexual harassment continue to be experienced in the society considering the prevailing rates of the issue in the society, where most people have at least a single instance that involved sexual harassment.

The Vulnerable Population 

When analyzing the issue of sexual harassment, it is necessary to note the fact that anyone can be affected whether male or female. However, the most vulnerable population are the females, which is an aspect that indicated by statistics on cases of sexual harassment in society. Additionally, it is important to note that children and tanagers are vulnerable to different forms of sexual harassment considering that most of the adults tend to take advantage of the children and teenagers as they are not able to discern different forms of sexual harassment. In the workplace, females tend to be more vulnerable considering factors such as gender inequality, which results in a situation where women do not get employment opportunities easily. In that case, most women tend to face sexual harassment when trying to get employment opportunities. Generally, it is necessary to note that anyone can be vulnerable to different forms of sexual harassment.

Cause of the Problem 

Although there is no justifiable cause of sexual harassment, there are theories and factors that help to explain the manifestation of various forms of sexual harassment actions. The first significant aspect that may help to describe the cause of sexual harassment in society entails individual factors that push a person to the action of sexual assault. The key elements that concern different factors as the leading cause of sexual harassment include drug addiction, sexual gratification, and psychological factors. According to Raj, Johns, & Jose (2019), drug addiction may result in the development of sexual harassment actions towards certain people in society. Additionally, the need to satisfy a sexual desire is an individual factor that contributes to the development of thoughts and actions that ultimately lead to assaulting other people sexually. Another major cause of sexual harassment based on the individual factors in the United States involves psychological factors such as mental disorders, which impact on the behavioral and cognitive abilities of an individual.

The second key aspect that may help in creating a description of the cause of sexual violence involves social stressors in society. Some of the key social stressors that are associated with increased sexual harassment include war and natural disasters and poverty, which are aspects that create an environment for different types of harassment actions. War and natural disasters have a crucial role in the development of conflict among the members of the society, which is an aspect that contributes to sexual harassment cases that are often in the form of revenge among the conflicting people in the society. During such cases, women and children are often the most vulnerable populations considering that they cannot fight against people. In the United States, an increased number of refugees from other countries have increased cases of sexual assault cases among refugees.

The third main factor that plays a role in increasing sexual assault cases in the United States is poverty. Casino & Besen‐Cassino (2019) maintain that sexual harassment cases are more prevalent in the ghetto areas compared to the posh areas. Firstly, it is important to note that poverty plays a significant role in increasing crime rates considering that majority of people do not have a source to help them in meeting their basic needs. In that case, most people engage criminal activities that play a significant role in the increased assault, such as gang rape. Secondly, on the perspective of poverty in society, it is necessary to note the fact that most people engage in sex work, which is a factor that creates room for sexual violence. Most of the sex workers tend to experience different forms of sexual abuse, which is difficult for them to report to authorities due to fear of facing various forms of stigma that is associated with their work.

Implications of Sexual Harassment 

Being a victim of sexual harassment may have a wide range of implications, which may impact on the general wellbeing of an individual. Considering that sexual harassment may involve a wide range of aspects such as rape and different kinds of assaults, it is necessary to note that each of the actions may have a significant impact on the life of a victim. The first major implication of sexual harassment entails the development of the physiological issue. Considering the nature of sexual harassment actions faced, a victim may experience a wide range of problems such as lethargy, headache, and development of nightmares that results from the experiences of the assaults. In severe cases, an individual may experience panic reactions, which is an aspect that results from the fear that is associated with a given assault. Additionally, a victim may experience sexual problems and elements that may occur following a sexual harassment act such as gang rape.

The second major implication associated with sexual harassment entails the development of psychological issues. The most common type of mental disorder that develops because of sexual harassment is depression. Most victims tend to fall into depression, which is a devastating effect of different forms of sexual assaults (Jagsi et al., 2016). Other psychological issues include shock, anger, irritability, and anxiety. Additionally, the victims tend to isolate themselves from people considering fear of intimidation and shame that results from sexual assault. The psychological implication of sexual assault is a factor that may impact the ability of people to undertake their responsibilities in work thus creating a significant reduction in the productivity levels of the individual. Reduced productivity in the workplace is an aspect that may result in the loss of a job, thereby resulting in the development of a series of economic issues that may lead to increased poverty levels. It is important to understand that the effects of sexual harassment may not only affect the victim but also impact on the general welfare of society.

What Has Been Done to Address the Problem 

Considering the increased rates of the issue in American society, the majority of people suffered as victims of sexual harassment, which is an aspect that prompted the implementation of policies that addressed the issue. The federal government capitalized on the implementation of the anti-sexual harassment policy that focused on dealing with perpetrators of such harassment acts. Although the policy focused on identifying and dealing with different types of sexual harassment, it is essential to note that not all cases of assault are reported to the relevant authorities, thus making it difficult for the policy to handle unreported cases. Another significant measure that has been implemented to deal with the issue involves placing criminal charges on the perpetrators. Considering that majority of sexual harassment cases are criminal, setting stringent unlawful measures helped to reduce such cases significantly.

Possible Solutions 

The previously implemented measures to deal with the issue played a significant role in reducing instances of sexual abuse in the United States. However, the problem is still prevalent, given the increase in occurrences in different aspects of society. The most viable solution to deal with the issue involves empowering people on the need to speak up in cases of any sign that indicates any form of sexual violence and assaults. It is necessary to understand that most people tend to shy from reporting such incidents, thus resulting in worse cases considering that the perpetrators are not exposed. Raising awareness on the issue is important as it helps to point out what sexual harassment is and the need for reporting such cases. Additionally, the government should focus on the implementation of a zero-tolerance policy against any form of sexual harassment.

References 

Cassino, D., & Besen‐Cassino, Y. (2019). Race, threat, and workplace sexual harassment: The dynamics of harassment in the United States, 1997–2016. Gender, Work & Organization ,  26 (9), 1221-1240.

Jagsi, R., Griffith, K. A., Jones, R., Perumalswami, C. R., Ubel, P., & Stewart, A. (2016). Sexual harassment and discrimination experiences of academic medical faculty.  JAMA ,  315 (19), 2120-2121.

Raj, A., Johns, N., & Jose, R. (2019). Racial/ethnic disparities in sexual harassment in the United States, 2018.  Journal of Interpersonal Violence , 12 (1), 1-12.