Sexual harassment: Breaking the silence
Sexual harassment is prevalent in the region’s advertising industry, but why isn’t anybody talking about it?
The stories of sexual harassment that flooded both traditional and social media in the wake of the allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein defined the latter half of 2017. It proved a watershed, with industries and governments around the world reeling from the unprecedented reckoning with sexual harassment.
Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, comedian Louis C.K, director Morgan Spurlock, English actor Ed Westwick, US senator Al Franken, political journalist Glenn Thrush, music producer Russell Simmons, TV producer Andrew Kreisberg, even Charles Dutoit, artistic director and principal conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra: all were among those who faced an increasing barrage of accusations.
The darling of digital and broadcast media, Vice, wasn’t spared either. At the beginning of January its president, along with the company’s chief digital officer, was placed on leave after sexual harassment allegations were levelled against both of them in a New York Times investigation. An investigation that had uncovered four settlements involving allegations of sexual harassment or defamation against Vice employees, with more than two dozen other women saying they had experienced or witnessed sexual misconduct at the company.
Within the advertising industry, however, there has been near silence. Only diversity advocate Cindy Gallop has spoken out publicly, asking for the ‘Harvey Weinsteins of our industry’ to be exposed (see separate article on page 68). Yet we know that the problem exists. In 2016, a 4As study in the US found that more than 50 per cent of women in the advertising industry have faced sexual harassment.
Gallop, who issued a call to action on Facebook, has been inundated with stories, not just of powerful men abusing their positions, but of HR departments firing sexual harassers without publicising why, and women who have been ‘culturally brainwashed’ to be complicit. Frequently it is women who are doing the covering up on behalf of networks
and agencies.
The Middle East is no different. It is a region, after all, that contains Cairo, recently named the world’s most dangerous megacity for women.
Although the majority of incidences of sexual harassment go unreported by the victims or are covered up in some way, one case in particular stood out last year.
THE BIG CASE
Last spring, a number of allegations were made by a handful of women against two senior members of staff at Memac Ogilvy Dubai. Those allegations were investigated, firstly by a team sent from London, who interviewed 36 members of staff, and secondly by two senior global representatives.
Sanctions were eventually taken against both individuals, with one suspended and the other issued with an official written warning outlining the allegations against him.
Both subsequently resigned: the suspended individual in August, and the second in November, although the latter decision is not believed to be directly connected to the allegations against him. For legal reasons, none of those involved can be named.
Memac Ogilvy would not comment on the nature of the allegations or on the specifics of the action taken, insisting only that the necessary and right action had been taken. And although the agency talked at length off the record, it would commit to only a few on-the-record statements, all of which were attributed to Edmond Moutran, chairman of Memac Ogilvy.
“We are focused on creating a safe, healthy work environment for all of our employees,” said Moutran. “We take all complaints seriously and when a complaint is raised, we have a rigorous process in place to investigate and seek resolution fairly and in a timely manner.
“At Memac Ogilvy, we are creating a positive, creative, and collaborative environment of diversity, inclusiveness, and belonging in all that we say and do.”
The majority of women contacted for this article would not talk, and even if they did it was under the condition of anonymity. Even heads of human resources would not comment, citing the “contentious” nature of the issue.
WHAT CONSTITUTES SEXUAL HARASSMENT
Fear, confidentiality, loss of work and the very real threat of being blacklisted makes sexual harassment an almost impossible subject to broach. Male sexual entitlement, the cult of personality within agencies, and the social and hedonistic nature of advertising itself only complicate the matter.
“As everyone else, I am condemning sexual harassment wherever in the world,” says Ricarda Ruecker, vice-president of leadership and organisation development at MCN. “Men and women should be treated and treat each other with respect and professionalism regardless of their gender. I strongly believe that any cases of sexual harassment should be dealt with immediately, which also implies that people affected should speak up and inform HR about cases at once. Only then can they be dealt with.
“This is a point where I have some mixed feelings about the current movement. Everyone feels free to speak up now even if it happened a long time ago. Perhaps addressing the issue immediately would have prevented further damage to others. Yes, it needs courage, but it is for the right reasons.”
Many of those who have chosen not to speak out publicly point to the case of Erin Johnson as the reason why. Johnson, who was J. Walter Thompson’s chief communications officer, filed a lawsuit against Gustavo Martinez, the now former global chief executive and chairman of JWT, in 2016 for allegedly making consistent racist and sexist remarks. The case is ongoing, with WPP backing Martinez and JWT hiring crisis communications and reputation management firm Finsbury. Although Martinez resigned, it was reported last October that he is now leading WPP’S operations in Spain.
I also observe in the industry that some women behave or dress even at work or at work-related events in a way which could be seen as quite inviting or provoking.