Co-workers often dismiss instances of non-physical sexual harassment, downplaying the experience, says Samriti Makkar Midha, co-founder of POSHequili and a clinical psychologist. “Even some individuals close to the victim might play the devil’s advocate and give the accused the benefit of the doubt in such cases. This is unhelpful because it trivializes and minimizes the experience of the person who was harassed,” says Midha. While most people who make these remarks may do so out of a protective instinct, it often has a counterproductive effect on the victim.