Here is how each of us can be an ally to address sexual harassment and assault
In response to pervasive sexual abuse scandals in several industries and workspaces, many movements led by a coalition of people with lived experiences of sexual harassment such as #Me too and #Times up workplace equality initiative have addressed the 4S: Stigma, Shame, Secrecy and Silence around the issue and created safe supportive spaces for conversations.
Here are a few strategies to engage and address this complex and sensitive issue with informed perspectives:
Initiate candid conversations: An honest way to show your commitment to the cause is to be part of spaces where such challenging conversations happen. In a safe supportive space, discuss and explore what kinds of speech and behaviours are acceptable versus unacceptable. Be bold and courageous to challenge mindsets that perpetuate a hostile or dangerous environment for women and people of other underrepresented genders. Such honest conversations break down stereotypes and negative attitudes and paves the way for mutually respectful relationships and also creates space for self-reflection and improvement.
Self-evaluate and extend empathy: Besides challenging their peers, dominant groups such as men should critically examine ways in which they themselves may be unconsciously contributing to a culture of sexualization, disrespect and devaluation of underrepresented groups.
According to recent research in neuroscience, people naturally empathize most with those who look and act like them. We can effectively address this evolutionary bias by consciously practising cognitive empathy. This means to challenge ourselves to see from the “other’s” perspective and reflect on our own attitudes, beliefs and behaviours surrounding gender and sex. Those who take the courageous step to critically evaluate themselves may be able to identify and address non-conscious biases that underpin their actions, and in doing so can emerge as empathetic sensitive allies.
Take personal responsibility: It is well known that bystander intervention in instances of public harassment can help “shift responsibility for preventing sexual violence from victims and survivors to the broader community.”
Be aware of your role in creating a SISA workspace: While it is important to respond to instances of sexual harassment, it is equally important to be aware of the larger socio cultural forces that form the matrix in which abuse and misuse of power, of which sexual harassment is just one example, takes place. A clear understanding of this dynamics enables us to address the root cause of the issue.
Research cited by the Harvard Business Review reveals that many men identify as allies in the fight against harassment in private, but become uncomfortable expressing their support or intervening in public settings. Though many men worry about not knowing what to say — or worse, saying the wrong thing — what’s important is that they say something.
The antidote to the stigma of sexual harassment is infirmed conversations. Break the stigma by affirming that you are an ally. Victims of harassment and assault will feel supported for our willingness to support them unconditionally.
Network with allies: An ally is a person who consciously and unconditionally supports a cause. Often, an ally is a member of a dominant group, who nevertheless is considerably invested in amplifying the needs and concerns of underrepresented groups and thereby mainstream difficult or challenging conversations
Diverse stakeholders can be agents of change by networking with others who are committed understanding and preventing sexual harassment and assault. It is important that we initiate and sustain an ongoing dialogue with friends, peers, family members, and people with lived experiences of sexual harassment to spread the message that preventing sexual harassment is everybody’s business . And allyship is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate this in action with the ultimate goal of encouraging more people to become active allies for the cause.
Watch this space to read Dr. Nandini Murali discuss different facets of a topic over a month. Offering a 360-degree view, she takes readers into the different dimensions through anecdotes, backing them with data.
