SEXUAL harassment in the workplace is as commonplace as it is unacceptable.

The fact is that while we regularly hear about claims of sexual harassment made by females, those made by males are still somewhat of an anomaly.

Just last month, a Gold Coast school cleaner was the victim of sexual harassment at work, after a group of colleagues pranked him by making it look like there had been a sex orgy in the staffroom.

As he entered the staffroom, he found a dishevelled bed, empty bottles and condoms and was met with a request to clean up the mess of what looked like a staffroom orgy.

Shane Green told the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal he was left traumatised by the September 2014 prank, one of a series that forced him to quit his job.

Unfortunately, this type of story is one we’ve all heard before.

It was interesting to note that in response to the cleaner’s harassment, some members of the public expressed their opinion that this person, simply because of his gender, shouldn’t have taken offence to such so called pranks and should “harden up”.

Our culture dictates that men, when confronted with sexual harassment should be strong enough to be able to deal with it and move on. Such a culture is archaic and unhelpful. It only serves to reinforce the humiliation, insult and offence that the individual involved already feels because of the harassment.

I am a lawyer for Shine Law firm in Queensland, where sexual harassment is defined by the Anti-Discrimination Act 1991 as unsolicited physical intimacy, any unsolicited demand or request for sexual favours, a remark with a sexual connotation or any other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that is directed toward another person. The rest of the nation follows a similar standard when it comes to defining this depravity.

Such behaviour must also be found to be done with either the intent to offend, humiliate or intimidate the other person, or occur “in circumstances where a reasonable person would have anticipated the possibility that the other person would be offended, humiliated or intimidated by the conduct.”

This particular case of the Gold Coast cleaner highlights an important point: these laws do not discriminate on the basis of gender.

Increasingly companies and businesses are spending significant time and money on educating staff regarding appropriate workplace behaviour. Unfortunately, some people still fail to realise that deciding if your behaviour is harassment, is not based on whether you would feel offended by the behaviour, but whether a reasonable person would have.

Regardless of whether you are male or female you have a right to feel safe in the workplace.

For Mr Green, the cleaner in this story, more than $150,000 was offered to compensate him for the emotional trauma he experienced.

In my view, there is no monetary amount that can wipe out humiliation or erase the painful scars of emotional trauma. While many may believe $150,000 was generous, would the same view be held if it was a woman seeking the same amount for an equivalent attack?

If you answered no, as many might, there is still plenty of work to be done in this space. Living in a world that respects and treats all humans as equals is one I fight for in the office and in courtrooms almost every day.

Stories like Mr Green’s pave the way for future victims to come forward. It gives the green light for new conversations and it gives everyone a chance to work towards a harmonious workplace where nobody is at risk of harassment.

While we’re a long way off achieving this in the world, thankfully in my line of work, everyone is equal before the law.

If you have been subjected to unwelcome or offensive behaviour, regardless of whether it is sexual in nature, seek legal advice about your rights.

Glen Northway is a lawyer at Shine Lawyers in Queensland. He was admitted to practice in 2011 and feels privileged to work for plaintiff litigation where he has the opportunity to fiercely advocate for each individual he works with and for.