The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently reported that there has been a significant drop in the number of workplace sexual harassment charges over the last decade. The EEOC report tracked the number of sexual harassment charges in 20 different industries. Incidents reported to the EEOC have dropped from 15,475 in 2001 to 11,717 in 2010.

While this seems like good news, some experts believe that those numbers don't paint an accurate picture of respect in the workplace. They believe that sexual harassment is still very much a part of the workplace, yet fewer women are reporting it due to fear of retaliation.

The EEOC report shows that the most significant decreases occurred in the finance, insurance and real estate industries. An attorney for the EEOC attributes the decline to stronger Human Resource departments and several high-profile sexual harassment lawsuits.

She believes that many HR departments have adopted zero-tolerance policies which allow incidents to be resolved immediately. Therefore, fewer cases need to be reported to the EEOC.

She also notes that several high-profile sexual harassment cases during the past decade have served as a wake-up call for entire industries.

However, not everyone agrees that the numbers are accurate. Critics point to other EEOC data which shows that in 2010, retaliation was the most frequently-filed charge. This is the first time in the agency's history where retaliation charges have topped the list.

Critics add that the tough economy has made women more fearful of retaliation if they were to file a sexual harassment complaint. Even if they don't get fired, many could potentially face a demotion or lose a chance at a promotion.

There may be no way to tell for sure whether sexual harassment is actually declining or whether it is just less-frequently reported. In any case, it is important to remember that the only way to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace is to report it. Staying silent about harassment not only hurts you, it allows others to be hurt as well.

Source: Fins Finance, "Sexual Harassment Falls, Retaliation Rises," Julie Steinberg, 28 April 2011