Men and women are equally protected from sexual harassment. Federal law protects all employees from quid pro quo harassment and from hostile work environment harassment. Small businesses that have fewer than fifteen employees, but more than five, are addressed by the Missouri Human Rights Act. Larger businesses, with greater than fifteen employees are additionally subject to the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII). Both of these protect employees from sexual harassment in similar ways.
One thing about these laws that is confusing and somewhat illogical in Missouri is that you are not protected from sexual harassment if your employer sexually harasses both genders. You are only protected if the employer only harasses one gender. You can still report the harassment to HR or to a higher level supervisor, but they are not legally required to do anything about it. On that note, if they take action against you for reporting the incident, then you can file a retaliation claim.
The best thing that you can do if you are experiencing sexual harassment in the workplace is to contact the sexual harassment attorneys at Cornerstone Law Firm for a free consultation. We will help you to understand how the law applies to your situation, whether or not you are protected, and what to do next if you have a valid claim for sexual harassment in the workplace.