1. If I became a victim of sexual harassment during my internship, what should I do?
1. Clearly rebuke the harasser’s behavior:
You can loudly rebuke the harasser to let them know that you are very unhappy. Raising your voice can attract attention from other people who can serve as your witness. At the same time, the harasser may also be under the spotlight and raise attention, and that may deter further harassment behavior.
Even if the harasser is simply telling sexual jokes to test your limits, you can use sincere expressions and tones to express your disagreement. You do not need to deny your own internal discomfort just to get along with others.
If possible, state as clearly and firmly, “Please do not do this.” If you are unable to tell the harasser in person, you can express your sentiments in writing. If you don’t know how to write, you can consult opinions from people you trust. In essence, do not remain silent. Avoid letting the harasser continuing their offences against you and compromising your mood at work.
2. Ensure your own safety:
You are important, and so are your feelings. Trust your own intuitions. If you feel something is wrong, it is your internal alarm being activated. If you cannot stop a harasser’s behavior immediately, please leave the area immediately to ensure your own safety.
3. Seek support from family and friends:
Please immediately communicate your difficulties to people you trust (such as classmates, coworkers, or family members). Firstly, this will allow you to gain support and understanding from other people. Secondly, people with insider information can provide indirect evidence when you engage in legal activities in the future. Therefore, when you talk about your difficulties with people you trust or anyone else, you can maintain a written record of who and where you discussed such difficulties. The aforementioned records can all be used for your evidence in the future.
4. Evidence retention
(1) Written records:
Please record in writing the individuals, actions, timing, locations, objects, and witnesses of relevant incidents involved. If surveillance cameras were available, please procure video footage from such cameras as best as possible. Sometimes, only the police may obtain such video footage.
(2) Voice recordings with harassers:
You can verbally confront your harasser about the incidents of harassment you were subjected to while using voice recording devices without their knowledge. You can also sincerely express your negative feelings. Even if the harasser does not feel that they have done anything wrong, your actions will have a warning effect on them, and they are likely to stop their offensive behavior. Your voice recordings produced from your confrontations with your harasser will also become necessary evidence during legal activities.
(3) Retention of written information of conversations between parties involved:
Use communication software to communicate your negative feelings to your harasser over the harassment incidents involved to obtain a response from your harasser. At the same time, retain all such written communication, which will become necessary evidence in future legal activities.
(4) Please inform the management of your internship unit and the University:
The most important part is, please inform a manager or coworker that you trust at your internship unit, as well as your instructor at the University (or another instructor that you trust); if you are interning overseas, please contact the International Division; if you are interning in Taiwan, please contact the Internship Assistance Team. The University can work with your internship unit to protect your safety and prevent further harm to against you. Above all, please inform the University, as this action is important for protecting your rights.
You can loudly rebuke the harasser to let them know that you are very unhappy. Raising your voice can attract attention from other people who can serve as your witness. At the same time, the harasser may also be under the spotlight and raise attention, and that may deter further harassment behavior.
Even if the harasser is simply telling sexual jokes to test your limits, you can use sincere expressions and tones to express your disagreement. You do not need to deny your own internal discomfort just to get along with others.
If possible, state as clearly and firmly, “Please do not do this.” If you are unable to tell the harasser in person, you can express your sentiments in writing. If you don’t know how to write, you can consult opinions from people you trust. In essence, do not remain silent. Avoid letting the harasser continuing their offences against you and compromising your mood at work.
2. Ensure your own safety:
You are important, and so are your feelings. Trust your own intuitions. If you feel something is wrong, it is your internal alarm being activated. If you cannot stop a harasser’s behavior immediately, please leave the area immediately to ensure your own safety.
3. Seek support from family and friends:
Please immediately communicate your difficulties to people you trust (such as classmates, coworkers, or family members). Firstly, this will allow you to gain support and understanding from other people. Secondly, people with insider information can provide indirect evidence when you engage in legal activities in the future. Therefore, when you talk about your difficulties with people you trust or anyone else, you can maintain a written record of who and where you discussed such difficulties. The aforementioned records can all be used for your evidence in the future.
4. Evidence retention
(1) Written records:
Please record in writing the individuals, actions, timing, locations, objects, and witnesses of relevant incidents involved. If surveillance cameras were available, please procure video footage from such cameras as best as possible. Sometimes, only the police may obtain such video footage.
(2) Voice recordings with harassers:
You can verbally confront your harasser about the incidents of harassment you were subjected to while using voice recording devices without their knowledge. You can also sincerely express your negative feelings. Even if the harasser does not feel that they have done anything wrong, your actions will have a warning effect on them, and they are likely to stop their offensive behavior. Your voice recordings produced from your confrontations with your harasser will also become necessary evidence during legal activities.
(3) Retention of written information of conversations between parties involved:
Use communication software to communicate your negative feelings to your harasser over the harassment incidents involved to obtain a response from your harasser. At the same time, retain all such written communication, which will become necessary evidence in future legal activities.
(4) Please inform the management of your internship unit and the University:
The most important part is, please inform a manager or coworker that you trust at your internship unit, as well as your instructor at the University (or another instructor that you trust); if you are interning overseas, please contact the International Division; if you are interning in Taiwan, please contact the Internship Assistance Team. The University can work with your internship unit to protect your safety and prevent further harm to against you. Above all, please inform the University, as this action is important for protecting your rights.