We have all have witnessed what is most commonly known as the "office romance." There are those two people who constantly flirt in the office, and sneak away to make out in the supply closet. They think no one in the office knows about them, but literally, everyone knows about it.

But with recent sexual assault allegations being the main story in the media, as well as strict sexual harassment policies in corporations, this has made it almost impossible to differentiate harmless flirting from harmful harassment of coworkers. Does this mean that the age-old "office romance" is dead?

What is Harassment?

For anything to be considered harassment, it needs to be repeated, deliberate, and unwanted. If that person does not want the flirting to happen and the person who is 'doing' the flirting is continuing to do so, that is harassment. There is a fine line between what is flirting and what is sexual harassment.

How can you tell if you are sexually harassing someone? It's simple. If you are asked to stop, or if you can tell that you are making someone feel uncomfortable, and you continue to act in the same manner, then that is harassment. If you are reported and asked to go to HR, then you had taken it too far.

If you are a superior and you are making sexual comments or touching someone without their consent, that is definitely harassment. Any person that has power over another employee can use that power to coerce their employees into unwanted sexual behavior. Anyone who feels forced, threatened, or coerced by either a co-worker or person in a position of power are victims of harassment, even if they do give verbal consent.

How can we avoid sexual harassment?

The best way to refrain from sexual harassment is to not deliberately grab or touch someone inappropriately. This also includes making degrading or sexual comments. Many women have experienced their male co-workers grabbing their waists, giving unwanted massages, and other acts of invading their personal space. Many women have also experienced sexual and aggressive language in the workplace.

There are many ways to avoid sexually harassing someone in the workplace. The first thing to do is to act with professionalism and respect. This is something you should be doing in the first place. The next thing you should do is avoid touching anyone in any way that could be deemed as inappropriate. If you need to touch someone either on the waist, legs, arms, etc. that could be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. You should always get verbal consent from the person you are touching. One of the best ways to avoid sexual harassment in the workplace is having open communication and creating universal rules. Every company should be holding annual trainings on sexual assault and harassment in the workplace. If every employee is aware of and understands what sexual harassment is, we can reduce the amount of sexual assault and harassment of women in the workplace.

So, can we still have office romance?

I believe that the "office romance" can still happen. If both people accept and reciprocate office flirting, then it is okay. If you are constantly exhibiting unwanted behaviors, it's not romance. That is harassment. It is completely normal to develop feelings for another coworker. It actually makes sense. You see them for at least eight hours a day, and at least five days a week. I believe that the best thing that you could do if you have feelings for a coworker is to communicate with that person. You need to determine whether they reciprocate those feelings towards you. Depending on how they answer, then you should conduct yourself within the guidelines of the sexual harassment policies in your office. If you do not have any, then simply conduct yourself with professionalism, maturity, and respect.

We all want to be Jim and Pam from The Office, but we need to remember that the workplace is for work. If you do find yourself in an office romance, then you need to create rules and guidelines on how you will conduct yourself in the workplace. You need to determine whether or not you should notify your company or manager about the relationship. You must separate your work life from your relationship.

You can decide whether or not the office romance is dead. You can decide whether that guy/girl from work is worth opening the door to an "office romance." We need to be able to protect those who are victims of workplace sexual harassment. We need a no tolerance policy towards sexual harassment in ALL workplace settings. If you feel that you are being sexually harassed in the workplace, then please go to a manager, human resources representative, or if needed, a legal professional. No one should have to go to work feeling uncomfortable, scared, or in danger. There is a fine line between office romance and sexual harassment. No one goes into a new job looking for their soulmate. The office is not a bar on a Friday night.