Regulating Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: American Experience and Inspiration

Abstract

Quid pro quo sexual harassment in the workplace is a common and typical type of workplace sexual harassment. The perpetrators of sexual harassment are usually superiors or company managers who hold power. The perpetrator requests the victim to provide sexual benefits as a condition for the latter to obtain work or other economic benefits. If the victim refuses the perpetrator’s request, they will be subject to corresponding punishments such as demotion, salary reduction, or even dismissal. China’s Civil Law Code and the Law on the Protection of Women’s Rights and Interests clearly regulate sexual harassment, but the implementation effect remains to be tested over time. As the earliest country in the world to regulate workplace sexual harassment through legal means, the United States has some beneficial experiences in its anti-workplace sexual harassment legal system, which has certain reference significance for improving our country’s relevant systems.