7 Ways Sexual Harassment Victims Can Feel Safer At The Workplace
Here’s how companies can set a precedent for other people to come forward
The #MeToo movement resonated with all of us — at least most women I know. A friend remarked and I agree — no woman I know has never been sexually harassed. Regardless of age, position, economic status, every single woman you know will have been sexually harassed at some point.
As a recent victim of sexual harassment at the workplace, I was shaken out of my wits when it happened to me. My first reaction was disbelief. This didn’t happen in my universe. The person who initiated it was nowhere on my radar. Was I overreacting? And yet, I quickly realised that it wasn’t me, it was the other person that was refusing to take no for an answer.
While the harassment stopped quickly thanks to my boss stepping in, there’s a lot that organizations can do to make victims feel safe and supported. My organization reacted swiftly and did all the right things to ensure that I didn’t feel victimized or further violated.
Based on my own experience, here are a few things that organizations can do —
1. Take complaints seriously and end it
A lot of times, until reported, the perpetrator continues to harass the victim. At such times, the organization needs to step in so that the harassment stops. It cannot wait until investigation on the matter is over.
In my case, I reached out to my boss, who swiftly stepped in and ensured that all communication between this person and myself ceased immediately. This ensured that I didn’t continue to feel unsafe and though I was still anxious about what I had experienced, I felt okay knowing that this person knew he had been called out and would, therefore, not try anything.
Create and hold a safe space for the victim. As much as possible, ensure that both employees aren’t physically in the same workspace at the same time. If required, give one or both the option of working from home. Ask the victim what they would be comfortable with.
Even the most overconfident harassers will know not to continue their behaviour if the organization raps them on the knuckles. Warn them that further offline or online communication with the complainant will not help their position and that they should stop all contact with the person pending investigation.
Do not victim-shame, do not tell the person complaining how work has been impacted or stalled. This is critical to ensuring that employees aren’t deterred from speaking up when harassed.
2. Follow-up in the aftermath of the reporting on their well-being
In the immediate aftermath of having reported the incident, follow-up with the employee about their well-being. Check on how they’re doing. Ask them what they need. Regardless of when they report the harassment, they are still likely to feel uncomfortable about it. Reassure them that the complaint has been noted and that it will be acted on and investigated.
Having my boss check in with me regularly after reporting the incident ensured that I didn’t feel alienated.
3. Hear both parties out
Hearing both parties out is extremely important in order to ensure due process is followed. Regardless of whether or not there is sufficient proof against the perpetrator, it’s important to abide by the policies in order to ensure a fair course of action.
4. Spell out the law and policy on sexual harassment within the company
If already communicated, reiterate once again. Encourage other employees to report instances rather than ignoring them. And if in doubt, speak to Human Resources on what qualifies as sexual harassment.
In my case, when I reported that this had occurred with me, one of my juniors also spoke up about how the same person had called her out of the blue in an inebriated a year ago and how she didn’t think it qualified as harassment of a sexual nature since there were no sexual remarks.
Additionally, Human Resources should spell out what the law says on Sexual Harassment, what the company policy is and if there is an Investigation Committee to investigate the reported instance(s). Communicate clearly on who will be part of such a panel. Is there equal representation for both genders on the panel? Is there someone on the panel who might have a vested interest?
5. Offer support and counselling to both parties
One of the great things my organization offered was to offer both parties counselling independent of the outcome of the investigation. For me, I found that I had a lot to say about what happened and the effect that it had on me. I initially rejected the idea of counselling since my individual case was resolved fairly quickly. However, as I visit my psychologist, I’ve found that there is a lot of guilt about something that was not my fault. It’s easy to say that ‘I didn’t ask for it’, given that this person and I had minimal one-on-one contact, but I can’t help but keep replaying any conversation I may have had, that causes me to ask, ‘did I ask for it?’. Post-event trauma is grossly underestimated especially by victims.
Post-event counselling is absolutely needed and organizations must make it mandatory when such an issue arises. It’s also important that both receive counselling, not just the victim.
6. Train managers on how to deal with such cases
Training on sexual harassment policies at work should be made mandatory for all senior management and all managers. How to deal with complaints, what protocol to follow, how to ensure that there is no unfair practice against anyone involved pending investigation outcomes. More importantly, managers need to know how to make employees feel safe in the aftermath of such an incident.
7. Condemn behaviour
If found guilty, the person against whom the complaint was made may be asked to leave. Have conversations with them, clarifying that it was not the reporting of the incident(s) that caused them to be terminated, it is their behaviour that has been proven. In my case, I was surprised at the amount of sensitivity with which the incident was handled.
Make it clear to the person accused that the onus of behaving in a manner appropriate befitting of a professional environment lies with them only and that others including complainants cannot be blamed for what has been a failure on their part to act in their own interest and in a manner that makes others feel threatened. If there is a pattern, point that out as well.
Making employees feel supported when it comes to reporting sensitive matters is critical as it fosters a culture of openness and freedom in the workplace, one that is critical to a harmonious work environment. Most people come to work thinking that they’re only here to do their job. Thus, it feels almost as if they’re inconveniencing someone by reporting the truth.
The onus of ensuring employees feel safe at the workplace — safe enough, to be able to report offences when they occur — lies with the organization.
