The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Indiana Civil Rights Commission prohibit activities that create a hostile work environment. One such activity is displaying offensive images or materials in the workplace. This is considered workplace harassment in Indiana.
But what constitutes an offensive image or material?
Sexual, hateful or prejudiced material
An image or material that creates a hostile or abusive work environment because it’s sexually explicit or racially/ethnically offensive can be classified as offensive. Examples include:
- Offensive cartoons, photographs, graffiti, posters, screensavers or objects
- Hate symbols
- Pornography, sexually suggestive drawings or lewd photos
Displaying or sending these images or materials can be harassment. For instance, when an employee displays an offensive object on their desk/a sexually explicit image as their computer’s screensaver. Or when they share an inappropriate image, email or AI-generated visual to another employee.
Surprisingly, it’s not that uncommon for an employee to walk into a colleague or a supervisor watching pornography. Moreover, some employees often share suggestive photos or memes through company email or messaging apps.
A few workplaces have been reported to tolerate visual harassment, particularly workplaces in male-dominated fields, those with a boys’ club culture and those without a dedicated Human Resources (HR) department. These workspaces are more likely to have offensive posters in cubicles, sexually suggestive pin-up calendars in shared areas or communication platforms where inappropriate memes are frequently shared.
What can you do if you experience visual harassment?
Document the incident – take screenshots of photos, save emails or write down the details of the harassment. Then, report internally to have the matter investigated. Your employer should address the situation appropriately. It’s also vital to understand your external options to protect your rights.
