For female voices to be heard, men cannot stay silent
Male leaders and colleagues should point out inappropriate language used, be a mentor for women and be professional
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LIKE many others a few weeks ago, my social media feed was awash in a sea of #metoo hashtags. What was initially a Hollywood scandal has now hit home; I watched aghast as friends, colleagues and even family came forward to reveal that they, too, have been victims of sexual harassment.
It is abuse that thrives on shame, and often hidden in the shadows. But just because we don't talk about it, there's a misconception that "it can't happen here". This week, I look at sexist behaviours that still persist at work, how women are fighting back, and why men also need to do their part.
Sexual harassment at work is unlikely to take place in a vacuum. It is a whole slippery slope of prevailing sexist attitudes and norms that create conditions for such vile behaviour to happen. It is easy to condemn sexual harassment as wrong. But it is significantly harder speaking out against more subtle forms of sexism.
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