by Jill Jacks

Created on: March 22, 2009   Last Updated: June 22, 2009

Employment comes with many benefits. First and foremost it comes with a wage or salary. Other benefits may include medical and dental coverage, life insurance, and sick leave. There may also be promotions and wage increases. The mention of workplace benefits generally refers to these types of advantages.

In the workplace there can be some who don't understand benefits and perks in the way the majority does. Instead their idea of benefits refers to an oft alluded perk, the fringe benefit.

While in no way making light of it, having a co-worker make an advance is unacceptable and offensive, but when it is your boss making the advances it becomes that much worse. Either would be unappreciated, can do harm, or have serious repercussions. Having your boss make advances towards you brings additional concerns and puts more at stake.

There is a familiar phrase "Just say No" and often we wonder why people don't just say no when put in circumstances such as sexual harassment. As a phrase it is catchy and bold but in reality it is not that easy to say.

In this day and age of enlightenment it is shocking that this kind of behaviour still occurs. How many corporate training programs, publicized cases and catchy phrases need occur to bring it to an end? Yet it does continue and to think otherwise is a little like burying your head in the sand. Anywhere you place people together creates the opportunity for this type of neanderthal to make their shameless moves.

Inappropriate advances occur more often than you might imagine and are not reported as often as they should be. What is most important to take into consideration if your boss is making advances is not saving your job (even though most people make it their prime concern), it is securing your safety. Inappropriate behaviours tend to escalate. If your boss is bold enough to make an advance what else is he bold enough to do.

This type of behaviour is more than inappropriate and more than unacceptable. It is criminal. It is abusive. As a parent we don't accept any form of abuse of our children. We stand firm and bring it to an end. We also deal with the perpetrator. Don't treat this any differently. Allowing abuse to continue does as much damage to you as the abuse does.

It is easier to protect others like our children or spouse than it is to protect ourselves. This is because we are not always able to stay objective about what is happening. There are many emotions that may arise such as uncertainty, shock, helplessness, and shame.

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