Living dangerously

Over the last week, international media have been somewhat preoccupied yet again with stories of sexual misconduct. The New York Times was among several media houses that reported on the allegations made against Scott Stringer, a New York city mayoral candidate, by Jean Kim, who is now a political lobbyist. Ms Kim has alleged that Mr Stringer sexually assaulted her when she worked on his 2001 race for public advocate. She said he had groped her, made other unwanted sexual overtures and told her to keep quiet about his actions.

In the UK, the Guardian ran an exposé on “Doctor Who” actor Noel Clarke who has been accused of sexual misconduct by 20 women. The allegations include “… unwanted touching or groping, sexually inappropriate behaviour and comments on set, professional misconduct, taking and sharing sexually explicit pictures and videos without consent, and bullying between 2004 and 2019,” the newspaper reported.

Discussing her new single “Your Power” Grammy award-winning, American singersongwriter Billie Eilish told Vogue magazine that sexual misconduct is “everywhere” and she did not know “one girl or woman who hasn’t had a weird experience, or a really bad experience. And men, too - young boys are taken advantage of constantly.” The singer herself has had a bad experience, which she chose not to relate, the magazine said.

Further, ABC News reported on a US Army investigation which found that Army Specialist (Spc) Vanessa Guillen, who was murdered last year, had been sexually harassed by a supervisor, but her superiors did nothing when she informed them.

The fact that none of this is new in politics, academia, religious life, entertainment, the military, or any area, for that matter, where women work, underscores that even though it is the 21st century, it is still dangerous to be a woman. But because sexual predators thrive in secrecy, women are speaking out not only to seek justice and prevent the offenders they know from continuing, but in the hope that others would also cease and desist.

While the examples mentioned above are external, sexual misconduct really is everywhere. Unfortunately, in this country with its culture of secrecy, victim blaming and shaming, old boys’ clubs and entrenched patriarchy, healthy boundaries are rarely taught and enforced and what constitutes sexual misconduct can also be amorphous.

On Sunday last, this newspaper’s Women’s Chronicles’ column published a conversation with a policewoman, who described sexual harassment in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) as an “epidemic”. She has served for over 30 years, has been importuned by senior male officers and punished with hasty transfers to dead-end locations for rejecting indecent proposals, as well as being constantly passed over for promotion.

She was the second woman police officer to detail sexual predation in the GPF; the first, who had a similar experience, spoke about it just over three years ago. Both women pointed out that it was a pervasive issue that continues to date. Neither wanted to be identified for fear of retaliation and both were aware of several of their peers who had succumbed, possibly because they felt they had no choice. When one considers that Spc Guillen reported being sexually harassed in a country where the culture encourages speaking out and was ignored, who can blame either of these women for choosing to safeguard their jobs and retirement?

The fact that women are afraid to speak out, do not report or give in to sexual harassment also says more about the organisation to which they belong than about the women themselves. This is by no means an attempt to tar the GPF as being one of the worst places for women. Obviously not every senior officer chooses to wield power over junior women ranks in this manner, and it is worth stating here that this type of sexual predation is more about power and less about sex. However, the permeating nature of sexual misconduct and harassment as described by these women points to some amount of deliberate blindness by superiors of both genders. No one trained to detect crime can be that obtuse unless it is intentional.

Furthermore, the pervasiveness indicates that the same problem exists in all male-dominated organisations like the army, prison service, fire service, constabulary and other such bodies. Among the worst kept secrets is sexual harassment and intimidation at tertiary institutions, including the University of Guyana, where sex-for-grades inducements have been known to flourish.

The institutionalized patriarchy that dominates many religious groups is also a breeding ground for sexual misconduct and the great silencer is often the touted need to refrain from embarrassing the church, particularly from supposed leaders.

There is no doubt that this country has a massive problem with unwelcome behaviour of a sexual nature, which is the very definition of sexual harassment. It includes, but is not limited to, wolf whistling; ogling; coarse remarks, jokes and innuendoes; unwanted touching; making conditions of employment or advancement dependent on sexual favours; and actual sexual assault. It can have longterm effects on women including depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and even PTSD.

What is mind boggling is the seeming lack of acuity in this country where these issues are concerned. It is as clear as day that there are glaring violations of power in all spheres of life that need to be addressed and promptly. It is not enough to declare zero tolerance; words mean little to those bent on egregious power posturing. They have to be named, shamed, charged, and held accountable. Our leaders must do whatever is necessary to create an environment where this is possible. Decency should be non-negotiable.