STEP 4: SEARCH FOR SOLUTION

Discussion :

1. Pay attention to your boundaries. Notice if someone consistently gets too close and create distance. Awareness of physical boundaries, as well as your surroundings, can head off an unwanted encounter before it happens.

2. Keep the discussion about another person’s intent out of it when addressing unwanted or uninvited communication or contact. That way, you derail any unnecessary or distracting disagreement about feelings, judgments, or assumptions. Because the person's intent is not the issue, the impact of the person's behaviour on you is the important point.

3. State the behaviour you expect going forward.

4. Reiterate your agreement about behaviour and communication if, in the future, it’s forgotten or disrespected.

5. Take the issue to HR if the behaviour doesn’t change per your repeated request. I love the idea of women meeting monthly to discuss between them any unwanted touch or comments so they can nip the behaviour in the bud and take appropriate action. And since HR can’t be impartial.

6. Have a separate, unbiased party that decides the seriousness of the harassment and the outcome. i.e. education/training, suspension or firing, like the policies these women tomato pickers got implemented to protect them against predators in the fields. To be effective in stamping out sexual abuse, “The consequences for behaviour that crosses the line, … had to be swift and visible to all.”

7. To stop harassment, start by confronting your harasser and letting them know that their comments or actions are not welcome. If they persist, you may need to report the harassment to the proper authorities. If the person still won't leave you alone, you may want to consider filing for a restraining order against them.

There’s always something individuals can do

• Create environments that encourage honest feedback and talk openly with co-workers about what constitutes acceptable behaviour

• Encourage bystander intervention. Disrupt. Defuse. Deflect. Delegate. Show support. Verbally or nonverbally, in the moment or later

• Shift mindsets. Understand how predictable human biases shape our attitudes and behaviours and use perspective-taking to better respond to sexual harassment

• For targets, the onus is not on you. Sexual harassment is not your fault. Stop the self-blame and shame. Start small. Draft a letter. And realize sometimes the best thing to do is walk away.

• Informing employees that harassment is prohibited.

• Identifying who employees should contact to discuss harassment questions or concerns.

• Assuring employees that they will not be punished for asking questions or sharing their concerns.

• Responding to harassment questions or concerns and investigating harassment complaints promptly and effectively.

• Ensuring that managers understand their responsibility to stop, address and prevent harassment.

6 Techniques to Protect Yourself from Sexual Harassment in Public Places

1. Carry a backpack

In public places, the most vulnerable part of your body is your back since it is also your blind side. That makes your buttocks area easy to target.

A backpack can serve as a barrier to protect your backside from malicious hands.

2. Strategic positioning

In crowded indoor situations that are critical, pick a spot where you can stand with your back against the wall or any physical structure such as tables.

For example, when boarding an elevator, stand close to any of the three walls if possible. Or if you’re waiting for the bus or the tram, stay within the bus stop shelter with your back to the wall.

3. Use your arms as shields

Crossing your arms in front of your chest is one way to fend off potential advances. If you must hold onto a vertical bar or a grab rail while riding a tram or bus crammed with passengers, then grip the support with both hands while keeping one arm slung across your chest.

4. Plug your ears

Catcallers get a kick out of knowing that you can hear the lewd remarks they hurl at you. Their goal is to make you feel uncomfortable because that gives them a sense of power over you.

Wearing earphones or headphones will make you a less appealing target to harassers since their hisses and hoots will fall on deaf ears.

5. Use physical objects for protection

Reading a book or using your mobile phone is another way to place something between you and a potential harasser. Shoulder bags and tote bags can also be positioned in front of the body.

6. Aim your camera at them

Instead of recoiling from the situation, take out your camera, aim and shoot. Predators are more likely to get intimidated if their prey suddenly points a mobile camera at them. A photo or video can be used as evidence against them or a way to identify and track them down. It can also be uploaded and distributed online.

GROUP DISCUSSION