Gaining An Ally: How To Choose A Lawyer For A Sexual Harassment Case

Self control: the ability to govern your own actions in such a way that you do not purposefully threaten the rights of others. For example, everyone has the right to go to work and feel like they are working in a safe environment. Unfortunately, there are those who feel like they can abuse positions of trust and confidence to gain favors from their subordinates and/or coworkers. If someone make sexual advances against you, you have the right to demand that they stop so that you can enjoy a safe workplace. It would be nice if everyone had the self-control required to not make unwanted advances against others, but when you find that someone you work with does not, you can call in the law to help you to be safe. 

A Lawsuit Might Not Always Be the Best First Step

Just because someone tells a dirty joke, displays dirty artwork, or makes a sexual advance towards you does not mean that you can take them to court. Instead, your first step should be to tell them in no uncertain terms that you would like their behavior to stop. This is not a time to beat around the bush. If you have to make a lawsuit later, you want to make sure that there is no room to misconstrue your actions. You need to be able to show that you were clear from the beginning that you wanted the behavior to stop. In some cases, this might be enough to get someone to leave you alone, but if it is not, you need to report the behavior to your HR department. If your company does not take steps to correct the problem at this point or the advances persist despite your company's intervention, you can move on to a legal alternative. 

Hiring a Lawyer

While you might want to immediately relieve yourself of the stress and hassle that come along with working alongside someone who is harassing you, it is necessary to follow the right channels in order to make a good case. You should not put yourself in harm's way, and to that end, you can hire a lawyer at any point to help you know how to handle your situation. When you hire a sexual harassment attorney, you want to look for someone who has experience, but more importantly, you want to look for someone who has compassion. If someone genuinely feels for your situation, they will be a better ally than someone who is just in it for the money. 

If you have to seek a legal solution to a sexual harassment case, make sure you hire a lawyer who will be there for you for the the long haul. Rather than let someone objectify, dominate, and intimidate you, you have the right to stand up for your own rights, and there are legal channels available to help you to do so.