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Is quid pro quo sexual harassment consensual? 

On Behalf of | Jan 30, 2025 | Sexual Harassment

One excuse that people sometimes use when accused of sexual harassment is to claim that it was a consensual relationship. They may say that they were in a romantic relationship with their coworker and that both people wanted to be in that relationship at the time, even though their coworker is now accusing them of harassment.

With quid pro quo sexual harassment, this can create a rather complex situation. This type of harassment occurs when someone tries to exchange workplace benefits for unwelcome sexual advances.

For example, say that a manager is in charge of deciding who gets a raise. They tell one of their subordinates that, in exchange for a sexual relationship outside of work, they will ensure that person gets the raise. They also make it clear that the individual will be denied the raise if they refuse.

A form of manipulation

As you can see, this means that the relationship is not truly consensual. The worker in a position of power is using that power to manipulate the other individual.

It may appear to be consensual from the outside, but it is actually a form of coercion. Those sexual advances may still be just as unwanted as they were before, but the worker is worried about losing their job or feels they have no choice. When they eventually speak up, the truth comes out and it is clear that the relationship was never consensual to begin with. 

Exploring legal options

Quid pro quo sexual harassment can be more complicated than other types of harassment, but there are legal options. Those who have experienced this on the job need to know what legal steps to take.

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