What should I do?

Question

This is serious. A while ago, I think I was sexually harrased at school, but I was too afraid to speak up because I didn't want to cause trouble and it being a hassle for me and the school. Do you think I did the right thing or the wrong thing? I still think about it sometimes, but i try not to think about it and let it bother me. It was my professor in college and during an office hours visit, he was trying to get my binder so that he could see the problems he would help me with, but in the process, he was about less than 2 inches from my private area, and it made me real uncomfortable. He's usually a nervous type of professor and shy, but for some reason, we wasn't shy in his office.

I feel really dirty and I feel like it was my fault. I don't know, I think this is just a feeling of guilt on my part. I don't know. And don't go telling me I'm confussed because I just looked up the definition of it and this is it! I posted this before, but not in those exact words. I just said "what is sexual harassment" and some RUDE guy just said, if I didn't know, I wasn't!.

I ended up giving him thumbs down, and deleting my question, thinking that maybe there was no one here that could help. well, I just want to give this one last try.

What the hell? What kind of answers are these? I have more decency than that thanks

"If he didn't touch you and you didn't back away, then...you don't have much of a case. "

i couldn't! I was sitting directly adjecent to him and his desk, and that was up agaisnt a wall! there was not much room!

"You're young...you'll probably end up getting harassed even more so when you're older. Hang in there, and just walk away if it happens again. Don't be shy. Pick up your books and leave. They'll know why."

What the hell are u talking about? that was very mean, wishing I'd get sexually harassed when I'm older! Heck I'm 23, and I AM OLDER! He's just a dirty old professor that wants some!

*sigh* forget it =( I don't have the energy to pursue this thing anyway.

And I want to remain as innocent as long as possible, with no more getting in trouble from anybody or anything (or even causing it). I come from a long line of trouble, so any more would be devastating and VERY stressful on my part.

...if you want to know, I used to get in trouble alot from vandalism, shoplifting, and got in trouble with the school, so I'm not sure I'm going to be a very reliable/trustworthy source anyway.

Answer 1

I am currently a teaching assistant and have worked as a tutor at the college level for three years. In my personal opinion, this sounds like this contact was entirely unintentional. Your professor, while trying to reach for your binder to help you, maybe gets a little too close for your personal comfort. If there are other things that occurred or were said that made you uncomfortable, there might be some reason to be concerned, but if this is the only thing that happened, I don't think it is a huge deal.

I would talk to someone on campus about the incident if you are still uncomfortable. There is likely someone you can talk to about such occurrences where your name will remain confidential and where you do not need to implicate the professor in any wrong doing.

Answer 2

Have you talked to this professor? Could it be that your your sphere of comfort is wider that most? Some people just get closer to some than others. It bothers me and I back them off. If this professor got too close you need to very simply back up and make yourself comfortable. I think saying something now would be non productive for everyone including you. You just need to be more brave in the future in ensuring your personal space. It can be done with grace so that nobody is offended or embarrassed.

Answer 3

Just try and forget about it. Don't go to his office again, but if he comes onto you again, go to the dept. head and tell.

If he didn't touch you and you didn't back away, then...you don't have much of a case.

Just forget about it and move on. who knows....it could all just be in your mind when he was moving closer to see the problem in your book.

You're young...you'll probably end up getting harassed even more so when you're older. Hang in there, and just walk away if it happens again. Don't be shy. Pick up your books and leave. They'll know why.

Answer 4

if avius corpus is against you, your in trouble. if it isn't, tell your principal. he/she will talk to this person and stop it abruptly. either with a law-suit of suspention. you may get a back-lash from his friends, but if you bring that up it will stop as well. as a guy, im suprised i took tht **** off another guy for as long as i did, but i did. dont lay down and die, this country was built on justice which can easily be administered or ignored. most likly administered. dont worry about it. it will end only if you do something.

Answer 5

stop acting like a slut its your fault