Question

Sexual harassment at work can have very serious consequences both for the harassed individual as well as for other working women who experience it secondhand.

The consequences to the individual employee can be many and serious. In some situations, a harassed woman risks losing her job or the chance for a promotion if she refuses to give in to the sexual demands of someone in authority. In other situations, the unwelcome sexual conduct of co-workers makes the working conditions hostile and unpleasant—putting indirect pressure on her to leave the job. Sometimes, the employee is so traumatized by the harassment that she suffers serious emotional and physical consequences and very often becomes unable to perform her job properly.

According to data compiled by Equal Rights Advocates, a women’s law center in the U.S., 90 to 95% of sexually harassed women suffer from some debilitating stress reaction, including anxiety, depression, headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, nausea, lowered self-esteem and sexual dysfunction. In addition, victims of sexual harassment lose $4.4 million dollars in wages and 973,000 hours in unpaid leave each year in the United States.

–“Effects of Sexual Harassment,” Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

Based on this passage, which statement best summarizes the effects of sexual harassment?

Sexual harassment makes working conditions hostile and unpleasant for all working women.
Sexual harassment affects individuals and their coworkers emotionally, physically, and financially.
Sexual harassment costs individuals and their coworkers millions of dollars in wages and unpaid leave.
Sexual harassment has debilitating health effects on individuals and emotional effects on their coworkers.

Answer 1

Sexual harassment affects individuals and their coworkers emotionally, physically, and financially.

Step-by-step explanation:

According to the passage, sexual harassment at work can have serious consequences both for the individual employee and for other working women who experience it secondhand. The consequences to the individual employee include the risk of losing their job or promotion, the creation of a hostile and unpleasant working environment, and the potential for emotional and physical trauma. Additionally, the passage mentions that sexually harassed women often suffer from debilitating stress reactions and experience financial losses in terms of wages and unpaid leave.

Answer 2

B. Sexual harassment affects individuals and their coworkers emotionally, physically and financially.

Step-by-step explanation:

Hope this helps!