Protesters demonstrate outside of a McDonald's restaurant near Times Square after charges were brought against the company that they have ignored serious instances of sexual harassment on October 6, 2016 in New York City. Spencer Platt | Getty Images

First jobs

The fast-food industry prides itself as providing many Americans' first jobs, but people new to the work world don't always know how they should – or shouldn't – be treated by both bosses and co-workers. "Often times, they aren't sure if the behavior is OK or not because these are not discussions we have at school," said C. Vaile Wright, a Washington, D.C.-based psychologist. "It's not stuff we learn, and if you come into a first job and this is the culture you see, you might not know that's inappropriate."

Age

With youth comes fresh experiences – in this case, life with a paycheck. The fast-food industry is teeming with teens and people barely older. Throw in some youthful pride masking as invincibility, the fun of a new environment free of parents and teachers and a dash of hormones. That may quickly become a recipe for real trouble. "It's the most vulnerable demographic – the youngest, least sophisticated about knowing what their rights are, the least empowered," said Janine Yancey, CEO of Emtrain, a San Francisco company that does online sexual harassment training. "You're left with an environment that's a vacuum, and whatever bad actors happen to be present in that particular situation will rule the day." More than 76 percent of women ages 18 to 24 and an estimated 35 percent of men in that age group report that they've been sexually harassed, according to research by Stop Street Harassment, a Reston, Virginia-based not-for-profit dedicated to safe public spaces.

Vulnerability

Young people have limited job options, especially those balancing work with school. Some adults may have few of the skills needed to find employment in other fields. Regardless of age, if you need a job badly – whether you're earning for textbooks or to support a family – fear of reprisals for reporting sexual harassment may keep you in check. "If I report, will things get worse and will I lose my job? These are real considerations that could make it harder, if you don't have the means to find another job," Wright said. "Do I just stick it out?" If a worker is in the U.S. illegally, which may be more likely in a mom-and-pop fast-food joint than a corporate chain, concerns about retaliation are even greater, Yancey explained.

Ill-prepared – and often male – managers