Sexual Harassment and Misconduct

Book excerpt: This authoritative reference work informs readers about the scope, nature, and prevalence of sexual harassment and misconduct in all walks of American life and how changes in policy, law, and traditional gender dynamics can address the problem. As revelations of sexual harassment and misconduct roil Hollywood; Washington, D.C.; and workplaces across the country, these problems are being examined more closely than ever before. This encyclopedia provides interested readers with a comprehensive and authoritative resource to help them understand not only the specific scandals that have erupted across U.S. society, but the historical factors and events that have led to this moment in American history. The book features entries that illuminate various types of sexual harassment and misconduct (e.g., quid pro quo, hostile environment), explain different classifications of harassers (e.g., territorial, predatory), survey how sexual harassment and misconduct manifest themselves in different settings (e.g., workplace, school, military, politics, home), detail the major cases that have been publicized since the #MeToo Movement gained momentum, and explain various reforms and responses that are being crafted to address deeply entrenched problems of sexism and harassment in American culture.