There’s no moving on, Mr. Minister

It’s just a joke. Boys will be boys. If you’re going to work in a man’s world you have to be willing to put up with it. It’s time for everyone to just move on.

These were some of the opinions expressed after the courageous and determined Brenda Seymour, a volunteer firefighter from Spaniard’s Bay, exposed what can only be described as serial sexual harassment at the local fire department.

As the mother of a 14-yearold girl, it is a terrifying proposition to me that sexism, sexual harassment and violence against women remain so prevalent, so pervasive.

Seymour has tons of fortitude. But her situation, as the St. John’s Status of Women Council’s Jenny Wright pointed out, is far from unique. Sexism, harassment and violence against women are everyday behaviours.

What did cause many to gasp, including myself, were those who brazenly blamed the victim and sided with the people doing the harassing or those condoning the harassment.

The message this sent to the children, the young women and young men of Spaniard’s Bay and beyond was a simple and damaging one: that sexual harassment is OK; acceptable. Expect it and suck it up.

Perhaps just as disappointing was the response from some of our political officials, including Fire and Emergency Services Minister Eddie Joyce. He was quick to say this wasn’t a widespread problem and then followed up with “it’s time for everyone to move on.” No. It’s not. Indeed, there is much work to be done to educate, eradicate and end all forms of violence against women, and this includes sexual harassment. Moving on is not an option.

As a minister, his remarks missed the mark on so many levels, showing his own lack of understanding. Moving on doesn’t fix the problem. Indeed, the last thing we need is more silence.

And the implication is to trivialize what happened to Seymour and to countless other women. Sadly, it may even deter other women in similar circumstances from speaking out.

A better response from the minister would have been to thank Seymour for coming forward, for her courage. A better response would have been to confirm that this is a serious problem, to understand that these are not isolated cases and the government does, indeed, have a role to play in making workplaces safer for women, in developing an action plan to end violence against women.

A better response would be to boldly acknowledge that sexual harassment exists and is a serious problem. A better response would have been to denounce it, clearly and concisely.

It is important that Status of Women Minister Cathy Bennett has undertaken to develop a code of conduct for government workplaces. And as she said it is stunning that one has not existed previously.

But we need more than women cabinet ministers taking this on. We need more than women like Jenny Wright at the St. John’s Status of Women Council speaking out. We need men to do so, too, including cabinet ministers.

We need them to do as VOCM “Open Line” host Paddy Daly has done — use their powerful voices to denounce sexism, harassment and violence against women. Call it out.

As Wright has said, there will be no moving on, certainly not until work, streets and home are safe spaces for women and girls.

Global statistics show that one in three women will be beaten or raped in her lifetime. That’s one billion women and girls.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, when you include all forms of violence against women, and according to the province’s women’s policy office, one in two women will experience some form of sexual or physical violence in their lifetime.

There is no moving on from that.

Of course, the government can’t solve what is a systemic and profound societal ill on its own, but it can lead. It can be the catalyst. It can take plenty of action.

And ministers can use their voices to denounce violence against women in its many forms. They don’t move on.

Ending violence against women will take a concerted effort. And it is our collective responsibility. Sweeping it under the rug or encouraging more silence will only make it worse. And failing to understand that violence against women is very much connected to women’s inequality gets us nowhere.

“Inequality produces and creates conditions that create violence in our lives,” says Angela Robertson, executive director of the Toronto Community Health Centres.

Violence prevention is important, but so is advancing women’s economic, political and social equality.

Let’s not move on. Let’s make a difference, instead. Our province will be better for it and so will our citizens, both women and men.

Lana Payne is the Atlantic director for Unifor. She can be reached by email at lanapaynenl@gmail.com. Twitter: @lanampayne Her column returns Feb. 20.