Activist Tarana Burke started the Me Too movement over ten years ago, and in late 2017, Alyssa Milano tweeted #MeToo when accusations of sexual harassment were made against Harvey Weinstein. By the end of the day, the hashtag had been used 200,000 times.
It has been a while since the #MeToo movement reached its height, and some big questions remain. What has changed since then and has sexual harassment in the workplace decreased? In some workplaces, there has been a negative backlash since the #MeToo movement, but overall there’s recognition that a problem exists and increased awareness that changes are necessary.
A backlash effect
While blatant sexual harassment may be declining, some workplaces have seen a “backlash” effect and increased hostility to women. Men feel they have all been portrayed as sexual predators and this has made them defensive. It is important for companies to emphasize that both men and women need to be able to talk about what is and isn’t welcome and work together to create a safe environment.
Companies need to create a culture in which all employees are treated as equal, regardless of their gender, race or sexual orientation. If companies do not take action against inappropriate sexual behavior, seeking the advice of sexual harassment lawyers at USAttorneys.com may be necessary.
The ability to talk freely about sexual discrimination
Since the #MeToo movement, the knowledge that so many women experience sexual harassment has tempered its negative effect on their self-esteem. Stigmatizing an experience like sexual harassment isolates victims and makes them feel alone.
Hearing about the experiences of other women has made victims of sexual harassment feel less isolated and stigmatized. Women feel validated when they hear what other women have been through and this encourages them to be brave and come forward.
Companies are re-examining their sexual harassment programs
HR departments in companies are realizing they need to make changes to sexual harassment programs that haven’t changed with the times. One of the ways in which they are doing this is using bystander intervention training. In this training, bystanders learn how to recognize, intervene and show sympathy to victims of sexual assault.
Companies are also realizing the need to make monitoring sexual misconduct a part of the responsibilities of department leaders so all employees feel comfortable and safe. The #MeToo movement broke the silence leading to openly addressing concerns, listening, and realizing the need to create a safe environment. Toxic environments provide a breeding ground for sexual harassment and creating a more collaborative workplace culture is beneficial to all.
A willingness to punish perpetrators
Another change companies are making is having policies that are clear about zero tolerance. Perpetrators are realizing that their actions have consequences instead of thinking they will get away with their behavior and nothing will happen if someone reports it. When companies protect the accused, it sends the message that sexual harassment is condoned.
The focus is beginning to shift from protecting the perpetrator to making sure the victim is safe. On a systemic level, governments, businesses and organizations have made changes to legislation and policies that historically benefited the perpetrator over the victim. For instance, some states placed limits on non-disclosure agreements (NDAs).
More protection against retaliation
One of the problems to date has been retaliation against victims who report sexual harassment. People don’t report it because they face the fear that no one will believe them, they’ll be accused of lying and be demoted, lose their jobs or be blacklisted in their field. Removing the fear of retaliation is encouraging more employees to feel free to report sexual harassment.