Introduction
Although harassment can occur in any environment, it is riskier for women who work in non-traditional fields such as engineering, construction, and the trades because of the relative isolation of these women, as for example, a single woman in a class, a mine, a plant, or a construction site. Various studies report that approximately half of women engineers have been harassed in the workplace. A particular study of 2000 women chemical engineers (1) reports 66 percent respondents state having been harassed while working in a plant and 57 percent in office work. Of the women reporting having been harassed, 40 percent state this occurred several times, 22 percent, once, 11 percent, until they dealt with the problem, and 27 percent said that the harassment occurred on an ongoing basis. In the same study, of the women who report having been harassed, 51 percent believed that harassment was common, 47 percent thought it occurred occasionally, and only 2 percent said it was rare. However, of the women who state never having been harassed, only 4 percent believe that it was common, 69 percent thought it was occasional and 27 percent believed that it was rare.
Increasing the awareness of everyone in the realm of academe and the workplace on a clear definition of harassment, on the characteristics of victims and of perpetrators and on means to prevent its occurrence will do much to eradicate it. There is a pattern on how perpetrators (predators) operate and knowledge about this model may help potential victims to avoid 'falling into the trap'. Moreover, potential harassers may reconsider their acts if they realise the serious consequence on their career and that potential victims may be more knowledgeable on how to deal with these situations. At a conference in Fredericton entitled "Restoring Integrity" (2), speakers deplored the fact that, to date, sexual exploitation has not been eradicated; plan "A" did not work over the past several millennia. It is time to move to plan "B", they concluded and presented a model of how perpetrators, victims and the organisation are inter-related by the sexual culture of the organisation, that is, which encourages or conference discourages harassment. A summary of the ideas put forward at that conference are presented here.
Definition
A Government of Canada publication (3) makes the following statement: "In a 1989 decision, the Supreme Court of Canada defined sexual harassment as: "... unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that detrimentally affects the work environment or leads to adverse job-related consequences for the victims of the harassment... Sexual harassment in the workplace, as defined in these broad terms, is illegal in all provinces and territories in Canada, including those establishments that come under federal jurisdiction."
Although harassment is not perpetrated only by men towards women, the power unbalance between the genders does create a situation where the majority of perpetrators are men, especially in non traditional fields where women are still in small numbers. There are several types of harassment: sexual, personal, gender, and racial. In all these situations, the person is made to feel uncomfortable and pressured to behave in a manner imposed by the harasser. In the case of personal harassment, this could take the form of demeaning comments about a person's life style, threats to the person's job, etc.. In the case of racial or gender harassment, the comments perpetuate stereotypes that are demeaning, and trivialises or isolates the person attacked. This may take the form of employees or students not being given challenges or interesting tasks appropriate for their level of skills and knowledge. This is based on assumptions that they cannot achieve expected levels because of their race or gender. Sexual harassment is not an isolated event or a breach of etiquette; it is sexual exploitation. It is an abuse of power and of authority, usually accompanied by other demeaning and unhinging acts. Often, there is a continuum of intimacy. It is a breach of trust and can often cause very traumatic situations for the person being harassed. Due to ignorance on the part of some people on what constitutes true consent, it may be misconstrued as compliant behaviour (2).
There is another aspect to this question: that of a consensual relationship between a student and a professor. No matter what the circumstances are, such a relationship can be considered as a conflict of interest, especially if the student is in the professor's class. These relationships often end-up badly, with a student who becomes disillusioned and hurt and adds many complications to the life of the student and of the professor. Avoiding such relationships is best, especially before the student has graduated. The University of Victoria has a policy about this type of situation and many of our institutions can learn from this development. This point certainly needs further debate and discussion, as it really has not surfaced much in the literature, despite the fact that its occurrence maybe fairly common.
Characteristics of perpetrators
Even though all forms of harassment should be eliminated, this paper deals particularly with sexual harassment. Understanding the characteristics and attributes that are common to many harassers may help to prevent such cases happening in the future, as potential victims become more familiar with the pattern of behaviour of these people. Harassers, usually older persons in a position of power, want to control other people to satisfy their own needs, and this means more than just their sexual needs. They affirm their position and power through the submission and homage of a subordinate. They can be recognised by certain characteristics: they usually over-invest in work. They spend much time in their office, but it is doubtful that their work output is outstanding. They expect to satisfy most of their needs, including their sexual needs, through the organisation. Perpetrators feel guiltless, and remorseless. Many just assume that sexual exploitation is an opportunity that comes with power. They often have several victims, chosen carefully for their vulnerability, controllability and their silence. It is important to note that not all persons with these characteristics are harassers, but these could be seen as signs when a perpetrator begins to 'court' a potential victim.
How do harassers operate? Although each have their own 'style', there are many common threads. They may begin by asking potential victims questions on their personal life. They demonstrate interest in their work, may suggest meeting after hours in their office, or to go to dinner or for a drink to discuss work or career. Some will be patient and have several encounters before coming to the harassment acts themselves. Others will operate quickly, on the first meeting, making sure that you understand the consequences on your career should you be bold enough to reject the advances.
Characteristics of victims
Potential victims are in a vulnerable position; they depend on the person in a position of authority for obtaining employment, or a promotion, for a performance review, or for marks towards a degree attainment. Some of the victims are initially flattered by the attention provided by an 'important person'. Others are afraid to lose their job, or not to get the job; others are afraid of the consequences and anger resulting from a refusal to 'give-in' to the demands of the harasser. Victims are often naive and 'fall into the trap'. If the victim gives in, feelings of shame and humiliation are common; they feel afraid and silenced. Anger may develop later, and this is when the healing process begins. Some victims report that "they feel like they are living on top of a toxic waste dump" (2). It can devastate the life and livelihood of the victim, damage or end the career of the harasser and poison the workplace environment. The emotional and financial costs to institutions and to everyone concerned are enormous.
Not all vulnerable people react in the same manner. Other factors may make certain individuals an easier prey, Some victims may have just gone through a divorce or the breakup of a relationship, or suffer from stress either in their personal life or at work. Their values and beliefs and the manner in which they were socialised may make them more vulnerable. The lack of family support at the time when the harassment occurs may also make a large difference in the level of vulnerability. Some of the consequences of harassment for victims are: the erosion of their self-esteem; they may divert their career by leaving the employment; other victims may have a mental breakdown and/or revert to alcohol and/or drugs. Sometimes, victims of harassment suffer a marriage breakdown. If the harassment involves a person of the same sex, this may cause sexual confusion for the victim. Many feel alone, afraid and unsafe and hesitant to talk to someone about these incidents. Very few decide to submit a formal complaint (4).
The organisation
The 'sexual culture' of the organisation defines the level of tolerance of harassment. It is defined and shaped by the attitudes, ethics and values of its members, particularly of its leaders. The language, artifacts, and the nature of the relationship between the members, especially for those at the top, say much about the culture of the organisation. The level of tolerance for harassment varies from one organisation to the other. Some have a zero- tolerance policy, have put in place mechanisms and education to prevent harassment and developed a fair process for complaints; the process should not victimise the complainant or the 'alleged' perpetrator. At the other extreme, some organisations have no policy and deny having to worry about harassment.
Prevention
The first step in eradicating harassment is to develop a policy that clearly states what harassment is and that it will not be tolerated within the organisation. the next step is to develop a fair procedure for screening and handling complaints. Policies and procedures are meaningless unless they are properly explained to all staff. An effective tool to explain sexual harassment is the University of Alberta video (5). It contains excellent examples of both women and men being harassed and clearly demonstrates the difference between harassment and other acceptable forms of social encounters. Training and sensitisation workshops should be organised for all staff, no matter how large or small the organisation is. Discussion sessions on boundary violations should be done with all people in positions of authority. The importance of their role as models of appropriate behaviour should be stressed and a balance between work and a fulfilling personal life will make them less likely to become perpetrators of harassment. People whose entire needs are met through their workplace are at the greatest risk of violating the boundaries of trust and integrity and to become predators, playing out all their power and sexual needs with vulnerable subordinates. They may suffer from a social impulse disorder; this is difficult to rehabilitate (2).
Protecting yourself against harassment
If you are in a vulnerable position, either as a student, or an employee, there are many precautions you can take to avoid harassment and being sexually exploited. First, when you notice that a person in a position of authority or power shows much interest in you, asks you questions about your personal life, or about your friends, asks you to go to their office after hours or on week-ends, you can become somewhat suspicious that there may be ulterior motives to this apparent kindness. It would be wise to avoid the office after hours or go with a friend if you really cannot avoid the meeting because of the person's 'busy schedule'. It is also better to avoid responding to very personal questions by reverting back to the business conversation. If you know that a person has a reputation as a harasser, then avoiding any contact one-on-one is the only safe way not to be put in a very difficult situation.
On the other hand, some persons of authority are, occasionally, approached by a person in a dependant position and offered sexual favours in return for some information or advancement. Persons in a position of power must refuse sexual favours, as they represent a boundary violation. It is up to these people in responsible positions to establish the boundary and not to cross this boundary. Of course, they can, if they wish, make a complaint against the person who makes such an offer. This situation is certainly more rare than the occurrence of harassment initiated by perpetrators in positions of power, but it must be dealt with as one of the dimensions of harassment.
Developing a personal code of conduct for all staff is an excellent way to demonstrate commitment to eradicating harassment. The definition of the boundaries and of the morals and standards that are to be applied within the organisation must be a clear message of what behaviour will not be tolerated or condoned. The code should be applied to the conduct of staff, peers, clients, subordinates and supervisory personnel. It should be clearly demonstrated that there is a relationship between the code of conduct and public and staff safety.
When harassment is deemed to have occurred: The process
The process to deal with such cases can be nested within the organisation, the profession, the community, an agency, colleagues and family. Each of these entities can either encourage or discourage the behaviour that leads to harassment. Each of them can also encourage and support the victim, or make the victim feel like they are trouble-makers and bad citizens.
When an allegation of harassment has been made, there are several levels at which the issue can be resolved: the victim may be able to talk directly with the perpetrator and strongly discourage any further harassment. This works very well in some situations. If the victim is loathe to take this approach, counselling could be sought from a harassment officer who perhaps could talk to or write a letter to the alleged perpetrator and ask that the harassment behaviour stop. The letter could suggest that any reprisal action from the alleged perpetrator could result in a formal complaint. A third approach is to lodge a formal complaint. It is important to make the process tolerable and to provide moral support and good advice during the investigation, or victims will not come forward with their complaints. A factor which engenders trust in the process is the follow-up and discipline of the perpetrator, if found guilty. The punishment must fit the crime. It must not be unduly harsh or too benign. The credibility of the program depends on how fair the system is and appears to be.
In the process itself, it is critical to provide easy access to the complaint system. A screening process is needed to eliminate complaints which do not fit the definition of harassment. For example, sexual assaults should be dealt with through the regular justice system; the victims may not know how to deal with this problem and should receive appropriate and useful advice from a sexual harassment counsellor. Screening complaints allows to dismiss a complaint if an initial investigation concludes that it is not a valid complaint.
What institutions can do
The role of institutions should be comprehensive. It should provide internal controls to deter harassment behaviour. They should make the complaint process bearable and support the persons who file a complaint while the investigation is ongoing. When allegations are confirmed, perpetrators should be disciplined in a manner that fits the charge and abusers of sexual boundaries should be assessed to determine whether they can be rehabilitated or not. If the answer is negative, they should be removed. Administrators must be made accountable for boundary violations in their unit. The institution should portray a real determination to create a zero-tolerance culture and put in place a process which does not victimise the victim. A public commitment is a good start. The organisation needs a catalytic group to move things forward and develop a realistic and effective action plan to eradicate harassment. Harassment must be given a high priority within the organisation. A performance (and audit review) of the program would help to provide a continuous improvement of the situation. People in positions of trust must be trained to clearly understand their responsibilities and boundaries of appropriate behaviour. If there is resistance from some quarters, it is important to find out why and how to remove it. It helps to set a gender framework against which safety and quality of life at work can be measured.
Colleagues who find out about the harassment should be supportive and give the victim of the complaint benefit of the doubt. It takes a lot of courage for a woman to report a case of harassment, especially in circumstances where institutions put glue on tolerance of sexual exploitation. In many cases, victims say that their colleagues, when in the group, will isolate them, make them feel like a traitor. Sometimes, on an individual basis, they will act in a supportive manner. It is essential for everyone to work towards the eradication of harassment and thus not to shut their eyes to what goes on around them. Each person needs a dose of courage to face the system that tolerates the abuse.
Conclusion
Recently, the media has had a field day in reporting complaints against the existence of harassment policies (often a one-sided view, omitting important facts). The media reports trivial incidents as if careers can be destroyed in such flighty ways, likely in the hope to flare up even more protest against the existence of the policies. What does not get much attention are the real stories of women who have been sexually exploited, assaulted and even raped. Dozens such cases have been reported to me (personally) in the past five years and in all but a few cases, the women remained silent for fear of reprisal or of being blacklisted across the country. So, in spite of the existence of policies, women who make formal complaints through a fair process which screens all cases and ensures due process for alleged perpetrator and victim, risk isolation, rejection and the end of their career. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do this. Therefore, why is there so much protest against the existence of a policy and a process to deal with such cases? Are we to return to an environment where predators will have a free for all, with no rules to bring them to justice? Without a policy, who sets the rules about conduct?
So let the media continue its backlash. But that should provide us with even more resolve to support the policies and the process that will make working and educational environments safer for all. Institutions have much power to create a culture, a review process and an education program that will eradicate harassment.
Harassers are probably not in large numbers, but they reflect badly on both the organisation and in the community. Their lack of morals and ethics probably reflect in other aspects of their work, on clients, on their family. They are not an asset; they are a liability. Eradicating harassment will enhance the performance and the satisfaction of employees and result in a healthier bottom-line for organisations. There are economic and social implications and everyone has a moral obligation to participate in making the plan work. It is better for business.
References
(1) Claudia M. Caruana and Cynthia F. Mascone (1992) "Women ChEs Face Substantial Sexual Harassment; a special report." Chemical Engineering Progress, January: 12-22.
(2) 1993 Conference: "Restoring the Integrity" Educational conference on the dimensions of sexual exploitation by professions involved in relationships of trust. Fredericton, October.
(3) Government Publication (1993) "From Awareness to Action: Strategies to Stop Sexual Harassment in the Workplace."
(4) Personal communications.
(5) University of Alberta Video: Sexual Harassment: The Campus Perspective. #302, 10022 - 103 St. Edmonton, AB T5J 0X2.