A EXPANSÃO DO ASSÉDIO SEXUAL NO CONTEXTO DO TRABALHO PARA O AMBIENTE VIRTUAL

With the globalization of internet access, new ways of committing crimes have become popular, through communication and information tools, such as social networks. Many rely on the apparent lack of rules and the comfort of being behind a screen, which ends up giving a feeling of impunity. In recent years, sexual harassment has had significant repercussions, especially in the workplace, affecting the dynamics of relationships between professionals in institutions. With the advent of the pandemic, this phenomenon adapted to quarantine and the adoption of teleworking, through inappropriate messages, sending unsolicited sexual media, harassing virtual encounters, among others. Even after the end of the pandemic isolation, home office continues to be used by many organizations, and with it, new problems develop in the workplace. The objective of this study/theoretical essay is to problematize, in a descriptive, critical and reflective way, the expansion of sexual harassment from the workplace context to the virtual environment. We have made progress and delved into the main aspects related to the phenomenon: definitions, psychological and emotional effects, the places where it occurs, legal implications, the role of technology, the importance of education and awareness, and ending with the strategies needed to combat it. We conclude that the approach to this issue, beyond current legislation and those we need to advance, must be comprehensive, multidimensional, continuous and adapted as technology advances and social dynamics change. Collective mobilizations are powerful and capable of promoting a more inclusive/dignified digital environment.