Part of a series on |
Violence against women |
---|
murder |
Sexual assault and rape |
Disfigurement |
Other issues |
|
International legal framework |
Related topics |
Part of a series on |
Violence against men |
---|
Issues |
Killing |
Sexual assault and rape |
Related topics |
Sexual misconduct is misconduct of a sexual nature which exists on a spectrum[1] that may include a broad range[2] of sexual behaviors considered unwelcome. This includes conduct considered inappropriate on an individual or societal basis of morality,[3] sexual harassment and/or criminal sexual assault.
However generally,[3] from a purely legal standpoint, sexual misconduct is a "lay term"[3] which represents a boundary that has been broken, dictated by a moral set of conduct,[1] particularly where the situation is normally non-sexual and therefore unusual for sexual behavior, or where there is some aspect of personal power or authority that makes sexual behavior inappropriate. A common theme, and the reason for the term misconduct, is that these violations occur during work or in a situation of a power imbalance (such as sexual harassment).[3]
The alleged misconduct can be of various degrees, such as exposure of genitals, assault, aggressive come-ons, pleading, or even inattentiveness to nonverbal cues of discomfort.[4] The "definition of sexual misconduct is far from clear" and it is a "lay term, sometimes used in institutional policies or by professional bodies", to deal with cases marked by power imbalance, coercion, and predatory behaviour."[5]