Issues of sexual harassment using various ethical theories
It is vague to define sexual harassment as different people hold different values, standards of morality and sense of humour. Sexual harassment is about the fundamental of ethics that guide the behaviour. Ethics is the system of moral principles; while moral is concerning principles of right and wrong behaviour (Shaw and Barry, 2000). Therefore, it is a decision-making process from an ethical dilemma leading to a decision of right or wrong moral. The arguments against sexual harassment are discussed with different ethical principles.
Immanuel Kant’s perspective
Kant’s philosophy was that ‘each person thinks of themselves as a rational creature that is entitled to dignity and respect (Bowie, 2000). The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulation defines sexual harassment as unwanted conduct (whether verbal or non-verbal or physical contact) that has the cause or effect of violating an individual’s dignity. It could be argued that this scenario contravenes Kant’s view on sexual gratification. Kant argues that sexual desire is an appetite for another human being, or, is an object of appetite for another.
Sexual Harassment in the Corporate Environment
A person becomes a thing and can be treated and used as such by everyone and Sexual desire is at the root of it; and that is why we are ashamed of it. Kant’s philosophy is that any sexual act reduces another human being to an object for another person’s enjoyment. This violates the rule for morality. The rule of morality encourages us to treat others as ends in themselves and not as mere instruments. The Employment Equality (Sex Discrimination) Regulations further defines sexual harassment as an act with the effect of creating a degrading, hostile, humiliating or offensive environment for the victim. Kant then goes on to say that there is one condition to which one is free to make use of their sexual desire. He says that this depends on the right...