Male superiority is the dominant ideology that continues to reign over workplaces and leads to discriminatory treatment towards women. Over 80 percent of the approximately 10,000 cases reported annually to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) had female victims harassed by male supervisors, employees and customers. There is speculation about how many cases of workplace harassment go unreported each year.
As long as society places the blame on victims and turns its back on sexual harassment, women will continue to become victims of inhumane and demoralizing treatment that they do not deserve, under the excuse that it is uncomfortable or embarrassing. Employers must promptly and properly handle employee reports with investigations of allegations. By doing so, they will make prompt decisions for harassed employees. Any company that fails to follow federal regulations set to eradicate sexual harassment must be heavily punished. It must be criticized for the lack of care and responsibility it has toward its employees.
Supervisors try to resolve sexual harassment cases within the organization and prevent news from getting reported outside. They displace the offender to a different branch or office or suspend them the workplace for a period of time. These lax methods of punishment only place band aids on a very serious matter. It needs to be addressed with care immediately to be completely uprooted from the working environment. By just moving the offender out of sight, the organization merely scolds the offender for getting caught. Rather, they should be reprimanded for inappropriate treatment of an equal human being.
The cases reported to the EEOC represent only 30 percent of all harassment cases. A large majority of women are afraid of repercussions from the company, ashamed of negative public attention, or embarrassed to admit that they have been harassed in their workplace. Companies are obligated to implement policies on sexual harassment based on the EEOC’s regulations that govern work environments and discrimination. Companies must invest in adequate employee training that will inform each individual about what federal, state and company rules define as sexual harassment as well as its profound impacts on the work environment. Sexual harassment leads to low employee morality, high turnover rates and low employee satisfaction.
Once companies take prompt action to help victims gain confidence to tell the truth and report mental or physical distress, the result is few unreported cases. It pushes for shifts from shame and embarrassment for being a victim and ratting out a coworker to courageous and rightful for not tolerating sexual harassment at the workplace. Companies must bring about a more safer work environment that meets the EEOC’s standards and provides all workers with equal and comfortable treatment. Companies are responsible for instilling confidence in their employees and they must take full responsibility for the welfare of said employees.
—Angie Cho
