Time to come clean on the issue of sexual harassment
“EVERYWHERE. Pervasive. Rampant. An epidemic”! That’s how direct and deliberate the description in a recent book,
Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back, is about sexual assault on women by men in high places in the United States.
The book, authored by Gretchen Carlson, a former Miss America, well-known news anchor and herself a victim of sexual harassment by the ex-boss of Fox News, one of the world’s biggest cable and satellite television news channels, is a chilling and disturbing revelation of how, in several instances, women have been and continue to be mistreated in the United States.
Subsequent to Carlson’s bare-itall details on how demeaning and degrading the sexual assault on her was, dozens of other women also stepped forward to accuse that same powerful “abuser of women” who was forced to resign under pressure.
Carlson was one of the very few among possibly thousands of women regularly subjected to such sexual harassment by influential men who sued their boss and company. And, after a prolonged, highly publicised, unimaginably stress-enduring, decency-shattering trial, Carlson and 21st Century Fox Corporation (Fox News’ parent) settled the lawsuit for US$20mil.
Sadly, sexual harassment, exploitation and assaults on women by men in positions of authority in the United States are very much alive. This is not to cast aspersions on the nation and its people but it is a remorseful reflection on the serious deficit among people everywhere to honestly and sincerely value and uphold basic human rights and gender equality.
Carlson described the situation as an “epidemic” because despite the signing into law of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally-funded education programme or activity, evidence shows that sexual assault on women continues unabated, perhaps with even more frequency, now.
My purpose in raising this issue is to show that despite our alleged decent, and even religious, utterances on being considerate and treating girls and women with equality, understanding, respect and honour, such debasing attacks are going on in practically every society and country and in almost all walks of life.
What’s even worse is that in almost all environments, institutions and workplaces, we tend to sweep this gross violation of human rights under the carpet and refuse to address it through public discourse or in the media.
The reason for that and why this problem has continued unabated is secrecy. For whatever reason, it seems inappropriate to talk about it and so we cover it up and pretend everything is all right.
Girls and women who are subjected to such exploitation by men in positions of authority have largely tended to suffer in silence as they are afraid they would be denied the opportunity to progress and succeed.
They are also ashamed, even scared, to talk about their ordeal with families or colleagues, and most do not take legal action against their sexual predators for fear they would be accused of engaging in consensual conduct or there is insufficient actionable evidence. Litigation is also time-consuming and costly, and the publicity might also bring disgrace to the individual and her family.
There is an urgent need to address this pervasive malaise boldly. The conspiracy of silence must be broken and the issue discussed more openly. Policies, procedures and preventive laws and practices must be put in place where they don’t exist; and where they do, strict enforcement must be done.
Most of all, women and men who experience or notice such violation of human dignity must be encouraged, without fear of reprisals and in confidence if need be, to immediately report incidents of sexual harassment, which in turn should be promptly and effectively investigated.
Last but not least, serious penalties must be meted out to anyone found guilty of sexual misconduct against women.