Great comment. We checked back with Williams HR Law firm who provided the information for this lesson. Their response is:
” Displaying sexually offensive material can certainly be sexual harassment. The examples set out in the card do not only include electronic media that can be seen on a computer, but also include posters, calendars, pictures, etc. While looking at these types of materials online may certainly violate a company’s computer, internet, or phone use policy, displaying it where others can see it (whether that is on a computer screen or in hard copy) also could be considered harassment.
Harassment is defined as “engaging in a course of vexatious [annoying, provoking, offensive] comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace which is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome”. A single occurrence can also constitute harassment if it is particularly serious. One of the definitions of sexual harassment is harassment that is based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Displaying sexually offensive material is reasonably known to be unwelcome, even if nobody has explicitly objected. The types of images contemplated by the example (e.g., images that are sexually suggestive or objectify an individual or group) would be considered provoking and/or offensive.
As such, the definition would be met and the type of behaviour outlined in the example could constitute sexual harassment.”