BRATTLEBORO — You say you want a revolution? Well, it's certainly in the air, and creating profound change to business as usual.
#MeToo was like the shot heard 'round the world - really, the primal scream of women and of all fed-up and fired-up survivors.
Never has our country gotten such a crash course in the overlap of rape culture with work culture. Survivors are saying “me, too” from every job and industry in the country.
And since the hashtag went viral recently, it's forced a historic global reckoning that is far from over.
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While research has long shown that more than 80 percent of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim, rarely do we consider if the assailant is known or what power they hold.
But recent news underscores that the whole spectrum of illegal behavior, from sexual harassment to rape, may occur at work, just like anywhere else, perpetrated by a boss or colleague one must face every day.
According to a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll, 33 million U.S. women have been sexually harassed, and 14 million sexually abused in work-related episodes.
How is this illegal, yet still rampant?
Because rape culture breeds offenders. Our whole social backdrop creates both the subtle and blatant “permission” structure that's silenced victims and enabled offenders for centuries.
But, yes - shift happens!
At last, blame and shame are being shifted where they belong, on the criminals rather than victims. And allies everywhere are following “me, too” with “we believe you.”
That's progress, but it's just the first step.
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Going forward, let's pick up the pace and believe the first victim. Let's address each situation quickly, and responsibly, to prevent decades-long careers of harm by the same men.
Let's also factor in how workplace sexual harassment impacts not just the victim.
Quite literally, sexism is sickening. A recent national study found that employees of all genders who witness harassment or observe general hostility toward female coworkers are themselves harmed by their uncivil workplace culture. In turn, they experienced a decline in their own psychological well-being.
They described feeling empathy for the victim, uncertainty about how best to respond, fear of reprisals, and other consequences, all of which affect workplace morale, employee retention, job performance, and a company's reputation.
In short, sexism harms not just women but everyone, as well as the bottom line.
That's why employers in particular can play a huge role in helping to end harassment. Rooting it out obviously goes much deeper than just having laws or workplace policies; we still need to evolve cultural norms.
The real transformation must happen among bystanders, - i.e., all of us - on a more personal and interpersonal level. Since each workplace is its own unique subculture, it offers an ideal forum for bystander intervention training: individual skill-building and empowerment, as well as team building, discussion of scenarios, and helpful strategies. Most important is giving a chance for coworkers to connect meaningfully with one an other around this complex topic.
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In that spirit, the Women's Freedom Center is hosting Bystander Empowerment Workshops for workplaces, as well as for churches and civic groups who want to help end sexual harassment. #MeToo proves that it can happen anywhere, but we can all be proactive and join the campaign against it.
Already some local employers have done just that.
Brattleboro Police Chief Mike Fitzgerald was among the first to sign on for a workshop at the police department, saying, “This is a much-needed and -overdue conversation in our country, at every level and in every workplace.”
Likewise, the staff of WKVT will participate in a workshop; as a longtime media ally, the station also hosts our monthly conversations about social justice on Green Mountain Mornings.
If your organization would like to sign up, please call us at 802-257-7364. We look forward to each individual workshop and the wide-ranging discussions that will arise.
Yet the most significant conversations won't even be at the training - they'll occur between coworkers long after we're gone.