Though you are working as a teaching assistant in a respectable institution, you can still fall prey to sexual harassment. Even a consensual relationship between you and your professor can turn sour and stifling that it can actually be considered a form of sexual harassment. Sexual harassment creates an uncomfortable and unproductive environment. So, you must try your best to read the signals early on to prevent it.
Preparing yourself
When you apply for a teaching assistant position, be aware that sexual harassment does occur in any working place, even in the academe. Be watchful for subtle differences in relationships. If you are from another country, inquire about what to expect to prevent miscommunication concerning these issues. This is because in some cultures such as your own, the relationship between man and woman is quite different. So, perception of what is sexual harassment may be different as well.
Recognizing subtle signals
You do not have to be sexually assaulted in order to be considered sexually harassed. If you are being asked for a date by one of your professors, ask yourself if you’re comfortable with or if it makes you feel ill at ease. If you feel the latter, you may have been sexually harassed already. Be on the watch for your professor’s lingering touches, insistence on sitting close, or too-cozy hugs. A good rule to observe is that if an act makes you feel uncomfortable, then let the person doing it know how you feel.
Non-sexual attack on gender
Some professors are not even aware that they have sexually harassed a student or a teaching assistant through gender attacks. In situations where there is sexual harassment, whether a professor is sexually attracted to you or not is irrelevant. He or she may be showing a preference for students or teaching assistants of his or her own gender. He or she may be making fun of your gender. If you are a woman, he may be making jokes about women being the weaker gender.
Blatant examples
It may be a leer or lewd language, but you can easily confirm some forms of sexual harassment. Your professor may already have increased his or her advances through blackmail that involve sexual favors. Or he or she may have actually physically attacked or even raped you.
Your part…
Though you cannot really guess which institution is harassment-free, you can do your part by dressing and acting decently. Most people will tell you that you must not appear suggestive and lewd, but regardless of how you dress and behave, there’s no justification for being sexually harassed. In the case of unprovoked harassment, report it immediately before it gets out of hand.
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