Final answer:
Sexual harassment encompasses unwelcome sexual behavior that can affect employment and create hostile work environments, with the two primary types being quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment. Both types are illegal under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX.
Step-by-step explanation:
Types of Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a serious issue that can occur in various environments, including the workplace and educational institutions. It refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. This behavior becomes harassment when it affects an individual's employment, unreasonably interferes with work performance, or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment.
There are primarily two types of sexual harassment: quid pro quo and hostile environment. Quid pro quo harassment occurs when job benefits such as promotions, raises, or performance reviews are conditioned on the acceptance of sexual advances or favors. In contrast, hostile environment sexual harassment refers to situations where the workplace or educational environment is made intimidating, offensive, or hostile due to sexually-based behavior, which could include lewd remarks, uninvited touching, or the displaying of sexually explicit images.
Both types of sexual harassment are illegal and violate organizational policies as well as federal statutes such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title IX, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex. It is important for organizations and institutions to actively maintain harassment-free environments and have clear policies and procedures for handling reports of sexual harassment.