Sexual Harassment in the Workplace: Issues in the UK and US

intimate Harass workforcet in the Workplace imports in the UK and USWhy it Remains a Pervasive Issue inthe f only in States and the European join Unsolicited knowledgeable torment, especially toward women, has been a serious and harrowingissue all around the world for centuries. cognomen VII of the Civil Rights Acts of1964 in the United States defines informal badgering as unwelcome advances,requests for internal favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of sexualnature that create offensive or hostile environss (1964, 3). This includesany instance of verbal agony, molestation, rape, etc. that violate the victims dignity whilecreating a hostile, humiliating, or degrading environment (European Institutefor G land uper Equality). Sexual anguish has taken many shapes and formsthrough kayoed history but one fact remains, women atomic number 18 exploited and discreditedwhile their harassers argon more than often unaffected. Women work non been arightrepresented and advocat ed for within their respective countries and theirvoices overhear been silenced. They have non had a platform to advocate forthemselves as well as others be arrest most of the time, their accusations arignored, discredited, and they are forced to hide their pain and suffering.Boththe United States and the European Union have laws and legislature in placethat prohibit institutions, like schools and employments, from having any genderdiscrimination and encourage the nourishion of womens rights. Additionally,countries in the EU have ratified dominion such as the Convention on theElimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). However, these measureshave been ineffective because on that point is a severe oerleap of regulation of theselaws and conventions and no monitoring of how they are being implemented.Sexual anguish rates rise steadily in both these regions as over lxpercent of women in the US and EU have been sexually harassed in their lifetime(Clarke 2007, 1) and manything must be done about(predicate) it. Thankfully, testimonies, business officeicularly from the bygone few years, have sparked the creation of movementsthat shed light on the horrifying instances of sexual harassment of womenaround the world and expose the individuals behind such execrable acts.Widespread movements, such as MeToo and convictions Up have given victims acommunity to heal and a voice through which they mickle combat sexual harassmentboth in and out of the workplace. There would not be a need for movements likethese if harassment and encounter were not a prominent issue. Sexual harassmentremains a pervasive issue in both the United states and the European Unionbecause, even with conventions, laws, and legislature in place, the wishing ofregulation, limited monitoring of implementation, and an absence of fieldrecognition leave victims alone in their fight. Sexualharassment comes in many disparate forms and comprehending them is the firststep toward on a l ower floorstanding the magnitude of this issue. By comparing how boththe United States and the European Union define sexual harassment, we can beginto break down the inner workings of each country in regard to sexual harassment.Cases of sexual harassment are always unsolicited and unwelcome according tothe United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Moreover, the European Institute for GenderEquality defines sexual harassment as a form of gender found violence includingacts of unwanted physical, verbal, and non-verbal conduct, which have the groundsor effect of violating the victims dignity while creating a hostile ordegrading environment (EIGE 1). A key word used in the definition of both theUS and the EU is unwelcome. The word unwelcome emphasizes the victimsdiscomfort and feelings of entrapment. However, it is not the same asinvoluntary because a victim may have agreed to certain things before realizingit was offensive or potentially dangerous. The main differ ence between these two interpretations is their focus. The US centralizes on the act of sexualharassment while the EU concentrates on the results. Additionally,there are two main distinctions of sexual harassment that defend to both the EUand the US. The first is the private sphere. This level details sexual abuse in thehome or private life of an individual. A charter conducted by QuinnipiacUniversity revealed that fifteen percent of women who have been sexuallyharassed and/or abused said it happened at home. (Frederick, 2) passel oftenfor energize that some instances of harassment occur within the victims homesbecause most cases of sexual assault occur in the second sphere, the publicsphere. This form involves instances of verbal harassment, sexual advances,molestation, rape, etc. that occur in the general community (RAINN). Also includedin the public sphere is sexual harassment in the workplace. United States lawrecognizes two kinds of sexual harassment within the workplace, qu id pro quosexual harassment and hostile work environment. Quid pro quo involves anemployee that has to tolerate and endure sexual harassment in counter multifariousness foremployment, a promotion, a raise, etc. Hostile work environment, as defined byUS law, is an offensive work environment that hinders an employees instruction executionas a result of sexual harassment in the workplace ( cognomen VII). On the otherhand, the EU does not recognize different forms of sexual harassment in theworkplace and uses a general definition. This is a huge part of the problembecause the lack of distinction and recognition generates apathy and peopleforget that sexual harassment in the workplace is an entirely different issueon its own. The impactionof sexual harassment on survivors is severe and can range from depression and apprehension to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Victims can grow to fear physical and sexualconduct and repress leaving their homes (Thomas, 143). According to Equa l RightsAdvocates, a womens law center in the US, one in four women, between the agesof 18 and 35, have been sexually harassed in the workplace. This is only astatistic those who have reported sexual assault and, sadly, many women hidetheir pain and suffering out of fear. Additionally, this ratio gets slimmer asthe women get older. The likelihood of women experiencing sexual harassment inor out of the workplace gets higher the older they are. If a study wereconducted on women ages 18 to 75, the ratio would be closer to one in twowomen.95 percent ofthese women suffer from debilitating stress reactions including anxiety,headaches, sleep disorders, weight loss or gain, depression, and fear ofphysical/sexual contact, as mentioned earliest (Equal Rights Advocates). Furthermore,the EuropeanUnion Agency for first harmonic Rights (FRA) concluded that around 90 millionwomen in all EU Member States have experienced at least one form of sexualharassment since the age of 15. That means that a lmost 60 percent of women havebeen sexually harassed. These statistics prove that having ratified aconvention such as CEDAW has little to no effect on harassment and assault ifthere is no implementation and hard-set guidelines. Sexual harassment has adisheartening effect that hinders women from asserting themselves within theworkplace. Among men, it reinforces the stereotypical view of women as objects.Extreme sexual harassment creates hostile or intimidating work environmentsthat cause women to quit their jobs and look for another one or it discouragesthem from seeking jobs altogether. Women are too afraid to speak out about theissues theyre facing because they do not want to lose their jobs but if itgets too intense they feel as there is no other option but to quit. For most ofAmerican and European history, women quietly endured mistreatment andharassment in the workplace, with little to no protection or way out. By the 1920s, workingwomen were advised to quit their jobs if they c annot handle sexual advances(Hill, 2). These traumatized women, some of which are single mothers, losetheir source of income because their voices are silenced and they cannotadvocate for their rights. Moreover, sexual harassment at work can have majorconsequences not only for the victim but for other working women who witnessit. Like the harassed individuals, women try not to draw too much upkeep tothemselves to avoid being sexually harassed as well. This hinders them fromperforming their best because they do not want to stand out, even if it meanssacrificing potential promotions, raises, humpments, etc. (Webb, 52)These women are exploited and mistreated because they have no one to fight forthem as laws against sexual harassment both in the US and the EU are notadequately enforced. TheConvention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) is aninternational treaty that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in1979. It outlines discrimination against wome n and calls for national action toend gender based discrimination, harassment, and violence. Additionally, itrequiresStates Parties to legislate provisions, programs, policies, and strategieswhich prohibit sexual harassment in all spheres. The United States was one ofthe first signatories on the convention but still has not ratified it. The USclaims there are laws and regulations already in place that achieve what CEDAWmeans to accomplish, one of them being Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of1964. It aimsto eradicate sexual harassment in schools and workplaces. The goal of theSexual Harassment Policy, which is in effect at all schools and workplaces, isto deliver an environment free of sexual harassment, intimidation, and exploitation. However, it has not workedeffectively as sexual assault and harassment rates are steadily increasing. Onthe other hand, countries in the European Union, such as France and the UnitedKingdom, have signed and ratified CEDAW. After ratifying the conven tion, fragmentstates are required to meet a series of conditions to end discrimination ofwomen in all forms. This includes assimilating gender equality into their legalsystem, abolishing discriminatory laws and adopting appropriate ones,establishing public institutions, etc. To monitorthe implementation of CEDAW, the Committee on the Elimination of Discriminationagainst Women was set in place by the UN. It is comprised of 23 independentexperts from around the world that conduct observations and proposerecommendations to state parties. However, these observations are few and farapart and the recommendations are not heavily enforced. The committee alsorequests that reports be sent in every few years from all member states thathave ratified CEDAW yet many do not comply. If a country does not send ingeneral reports of how gender equality and anti-sexual harassment laws arebeing enforced, the UN does not take any action. These countries are still consideredto have ratified the conventio n even if they are not adhering to the guidelinesset aside by the UN. I wanted to evaluate whether there is a correlationbetween the rates of sexual harassment and ratification of CEDAW. I concludedthat there is no correlation between the two because the United States andcountries in the European Union have the same rates of sexual harassment andassault. On average, oversixty percent of women in the US and EU reported they have been sexuallyharassed in their lifetime and sexual harassment rates have been steadily increasingin both these regions (Clarke 2007, 1). This all leads back to the lack ofappropriate application and reinforcement, for both CEDAW and other legislaturelike Title VII, that leaves victims and survivors of sexual assault unprotectedwhile the perpetrators get away with their crimes. Furthermore, theunwillingness of national governments to properly implement and fully adhere toregulations concerning sexual harassment in the workplace causes this issue toremain perv asive. Sexualharassment in the workplace is nothing new and has been an agonizing issue forcenturies, but it has seen a massive wave of attention and recognition recentlyas celebrities, citizens, coworkers, and others use their platforms to advocatefor the rights of women around the world. The prevalence of workplaceharassment led to the creation of groundbreaking anti-sexual assault andwomens sanction movements such as MeToo and convictions Up. These movements, like manyothers, would not be necessary if sexual harassment were not an issue or if itwere properly addressed by national governments and institutions. Celebritieshave stepped up and accused Hollywood producers, directors, and actors who havetaken advantage of their positions and sexual harassed women, such as HarveyWeinstein, Louis C. K., and Kevin Spacey. uncounted women have spoken out aboutharassers, specifically Harvey Weinstein whose scandals triggered a series ofallegations against similarly powerful men around th e world (Rodino-Colocino, 97). These events provoked thecreation of the MeToo movement, a stand against sexual harassment,specifically in the workplace. It started in the United States on social mediaas a hashtag under which women would share testimonies about their personalexperiences with sexual assault, harassment, and rape in the workplace or aprofessional setting. It provides a community of healing and lets victims andsurvivors know that they are not alone in their pain. Celebrities are looked upto and their seemingly perfect lives are envied. The MeToo movement isextremely powerful and shift our view of Hollywoods elites. Their courage toopenly and so vulnerably share their experiences with the world gives womenhope. Through their stories, we can also see that fame and fortune does notgrant you a perfect life. Celebrities go through pain, discomfort, and fear plainly like anyone else and this shows women that they can let their voice beheard as well. Victims in European Union countries have found their voice justas Americans through many powerful womens declarations. The movement wentviral in October of 2017 and exposed the widespread prevalence of sexualharassment. Since then, MeToo has spread to over 200 countries and women in everycommunity, big or small have the courage to speak out and advocate for their ownrights (Edge, 22). In responseto the MeToo movement and the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the Times Up movement was founded in January2018 by Hollywood celebrities. Additionally, many A-listers have assisted inthe creation of the Times Up Legal apology mechanism Fund. The fund provides legalsupport, defense, and advising to victims of sexual harassment, assault, orabuse in the workplace. As of February 2018, Times Up has raised 20 milliondollars for its legal defense fund. It has also gained over 200 volunteerlawyers who are going to work directly with victims to ensure their rights are protected(Chu 2018, 16). When you visit the Times Up website, the first thing you seeis a quote that reads, The clock has run out on sexual assault, harassment,and inequality in the workplace. It is time to do something about it. Thisperfectly exemplifies the goal of the movement. The time is up on silencingwomen and protecting abusers. It is time to make a heighten and take matters intoour own hands since governments refuse to acknowledge theseverity of sexual harassment and do something about it (Times Up Now).However,the MeTooand Times Up movements have caught plenty of negative backlash. Many men and, surprisingly,even women argue that these movements are unnecessary. Their claims range fromattention seeking to pushing an extremist liberal agenda. The individuals whopush back are not educated on the goals these movements. Many individuals haveclaimed that MeToo and Times Up are only ways for women to get more attentionand fame by falsely accusing others. People in opposition claim that sincethere is no proof of the assaults, other than wo mens testimonies, how can they conceptualise them? Additionally, men argue that accusations make male workers andexecutives have to avoid women in the workplace completely. They claim there isno communication between males and females unless it is directly related towork and this can hurt their work performance (Rodino-Colocino, 98). Nevertheless, the opposition tothe movement has only given women a bigger reason to fight for their rights andprotection. There will always be antagonists but victims and supporters aredoing their part to lift their voices, especially for women who are teared downand silenced. Additionally,the MeToo and Times Up movements have made their way across the pond,literally. What started in the United States has made an impact all over theglobe as more than 200 countries have been actively raising sensory faculty andimplementing the goals of these movements into their own communities (Edge, 22). The celebrities that have shown their support for thecause, such as Angelina Jolie, Natalie Portman, Justin Timberlake, SebastianStan, and many others, have utilized their platforms to advocate for an issuethat is not only current in the United States but it applies all over the worldincluding Europe. The globose reach of these movements is massive and shows thatwomen refuse to be silenced and cast aside, rather we will unite our voices andspeak out for those who cannot. An example of the expansive influence of TimesUp and MeToo is the creation of British versions of them. British media andthe entertainment industry have had a surge of simmering issues that leavewomen feeling shiny of purposeful change. European celebrities, includingKierra Knightley, Emma Watson, and Daisy Ridley, are speaking out and demandingaction. By the end of January, the British Times Up initiative had gained thesupport of over 50 internationally acclaimed women (Chu 2018, 16).They are uniting under this cause andincreasingly raising their voices in a post Harvey Wein stein age. Variouscelebrities have reflected the support of Americans by wearing all black to theBAFTA ceremony much like celebrities who wore all black to the Oscars and theGolden Globes.These effects aremirrored in various countries in the EU and the resulting awareness is causinga change of drastic proportions. These movements have been able to achieve whatnational governments and legislature have failed to do. They have given allwomen a hopeful voice and have protected and defended them in the face ofinjustice and sexual harassment. I believethat there are many changes that could be implemented in both the United Statesand the European Union to lower the rates of sexual harassment in the workplaceand, eventually, eradicate it. First, the United Statesshould recognize the flaws and failures of its laws to fully protect women anderadicate sexual harassment in all spheres. They should take necessary measuresto ratify CEDAW and enact legislative provisions that ensure the safety ofw omen in and out of workplaces. There should also be proper punishment measuresset forth for the perpetrators, such as termination of employment and prisonsentences where necessary. Too many harassers get away with their crimes andthey must be stopped. I believe that the US should also allocate funds toorganizations, foundations, and movements like Times Up and MeToo thatproperly see harassers and provide defense for the victims of sexualassault. Next, countries in the European Union that have ratified CEDAW shouldregulate and measure the extent of implementations within their respectivegovernments and institutions. I believe that EU countries would also benefit fromrecognizing various forms of sexual harassment rather than relying on a generaldefinition. Additionally, the Committee on the Elimination of DiscriminationAgainst Women under CEDAW should recruit more members to monitor application ofthe convention into law. They could also revoke the member states benefits ofratificatio n. If they have not made an effort to implement policies and nochange is detected, they should not be able to say they ratified theconvention. In conclusion, the prevalence andpervasiveness of sexual harassment in both the United States can be attributedto their lack of regulation of these laws and conventions and the absence ofimplementation monitoring. Even so, the creation of movements such as Times Upand MeToo have aided in representing for the victims of sexual assault andgiving them a voice to speak out about their experiences. The lack of adequaterepresentation and advocacy in the US left women no filling but to speak out forthemselves and help others victims and survivors who have been silences. Theirstand was inspiring and other countries like the United Kingdom, France, etc.mirrored their movements and efforts (Chu 2018, 16). This has been bringingabout the change that governments failed to. Through the strength and globalreach of these movement and fund the rates of sex ual harassment and assault canbe significantly lowered. Additionally, the US and the EU would benefit fromimplementing appropriate regulations to conventions, updating and revisingcurrent law and legislature, setting adequate punishment measures forperpetrators, and nationally recognizing sexual harassment in and out of theworkplace.ReferencesChu,Henry. Times Up Movement Ripples across Pond. Variety. 339(1)16. 2018.Clarke,Linda. 2007. 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