Why should there be sexual harassment training in the workplace? For no other reason than virtually every assumption we share about sexual harassment is false.
One false assumption many believe – particularly men in more powerful positions – is that the female executives with whom they work, have somehow “won” the sexual harassment fight. In truth, recent studies have determined that “power” has no effect on the daily sexual harassment a woman in the executive suite may face.
The Swedish Institute for Social Research
The Swedish Institute for Social Research at Stockholm University, along with researchers in the U.S. and Japan, have found some surprising data emerging from their surveys.
“The study shows that women with supervisory positions experienced between 30 and 100 percent more sexual harassment than other women employees. This was true across the United States, Japan, and Sweden…”
In fact, the researchers found that their initial assumptions were wrong. According to the final report: “We expected a higher exposure [of sexual harassment] for women with less power in the workplace. Instead, we found the contrary.”
Women in supervisory positions are harassed both from above and the workers who are subordinate to them. Invariably, they are harassed by men, not other women. One important conclusion:
“Sexual harassment means that women’s career advancement comes at a higher cost than men’s, especially in male-dominated industries and firms.”
It is not about “sex” or “gender,” but power. Many men see women in power as a threat to their fragile masculinity. Many men don’t see the effort, the time and the sacrifices women make to achieve higher levels of management and supervision. Instead, they perceive the fact that a woman has gained status as interfering with their interpretation of the natural order of things (as they see it!).
If it is somewhat problematic in industries such as fashion, marketing or public relations, it is very problematic in industries such as construction or engineering or manufacturing.
Why do men harass?
While this post does not have the available space to address general issues such as “Why do men harass?” In this specific case, the point is more distillable to a basic issue: “Power versus Ethics.”
Ethically speaking, the workplace should be open, merit-based and accepting. Our employment laws are quite clear on this issue. No employee, superior or inferior, has the right to sexually harass. Despite what co-workers “think” or “feel,” the person they report to is neither an object of derision or a topic of gender bias. If the woman has achieved the status of “management,” she should be afforded all considerations (all of the same considerations) as a male counterpart.
“Power” comes into play when the management is weak or nonexistent. If management is too weak to stop sexual harassment then it is up to management to bring in sexual harassment training and then to back that training with consequences.
The keyword here is “consequences.” The choice to harass must be met with consequences. I might add that whether the harasser is the guy who pushes the broom in the shop, or the Senior Vice President of Production, the consequences need to be equally applied.
“Women-friendly’ organizations are not necessarily female-dominated, but they are aware. The organization must be strong and focused on the idea that when a woman does achieve status, she is to be afforded the same considerations as her male counterparts. No exceptions. It isn’t necessarily a difficult concept to accept but it must be backed by action.
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