Many times, workplace harassment gets out of control because no one says anything. The person being harassed doesn't want to “make a big deal” of it, and their employer either doesn't know or doesn't want another problem on their hands. But being passive only makes matters worse. Employees need to speak up for themselves, but employers must also be proactive about dealing with inappropriate behavior.

When non-profits raise funds, they depend upon delicate personal relationships with high-powered donors. As Holly Hall reports in The Chronicle of Philanthropy, women comprise the majority of fund raisers in the non-profit sector, and this brings with it opportunities for sexual harassment. Hall reveals, “In many cases, those women are appealing to older, more powerful men for large donations... And they often visit donors in their homes or meet them in social settings where alcohol and personal information are freely exchanged.”

Now that criminal charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former IMF chief who was accused of sexually assaulting a New York hotel maid, have been dropped, people are left scratching their heads. Strauss-Kahn's supporters are hailing the new turn of events as a victory, proof that law enforcement and the media had unfairly labeled him as guilty without waiting for the facts to emerge. Some have taken it one step further, saying that the DSK case demonstrates that those who bring sexual assault claims should be met with suspicion. Others, however, are confused—wasn't there physical evidence of sexual contact? Why would a hotel maid consent—as DSK alleges—to sex with a strange hotel guest while on the job? Do the inconsistencies in the hotel maid's statements mean that we should ignore her claims altogether?

The Daily Mail reports that a 23-year-old Brooklyn woman is suing her former employer for sexual harassment, alleging that male colleagues made obscene verbal and physical advances to her over a 14-month span. In their defense, the woman's employer denied the allegations and stated that the woman is “too ugly” and that “no one would touch her.”

Now that new facts have emerged in the case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, sexual harassment is on everyone's lips again. Revelations that DSK's accuser lied to prosecutors have shifted the public's mood about the case away from its initial support of the hotel maid. But regardless of changing opinions, the fact that sexual misconduct is making headlines means that it may be even easier to talk to your employees about relevant policies in your own workplace.