How is sexual harassment generally defined?

Sexual harassment is generally defined as behavior that encompasses a range of actions, both verbal and physical, that leads to discomfort or creates a hostile environment for the victim. This definition is inclusive of various forms of harassment, such as inappropriate comments, jokes with sexual undertones, unwanted physical contact, and other behaviors that can intimidate or demean individuals based on their sex or gender.

By recognizing that sexual harassment involves not just overt actions but also subtle verbal interactions, it becomes clearer why the second choice effectively captures the broad scope of behaviors that constitute harassment. It emphasizes the impact on the victim's comfort and sense of safety in the workplace, which is a critical aspect of understanding and addressing sexual harassment.

In contrast, the other options are too narrow or specific to adequately define sexual harassment. Only mentioning physical contact ignores many forms of verbal harassment that can be equally damaging. Inappropriate jokes among friends, while potentially harmful, are not sufficient on their own to constitute sexual harassment unless they contribute to a hostile work environment. Similarly, simple disagreements between coworkers do not relate to the context of sexual harassment as they do not involve unwanted sexual advances or comments that provoke discomfort.