The Power of Us: How We Stop Sexual Harassment | Marianne Cooper | TEDxUniversityofNevada

Summary

This script addresses the pervasive issue of sexual harassment, rooted in gender inequality and power imbalances. It identifies male-dominated, hierarchical, and permissive organizations as breeding grounds for harassment. The speaker calls for societal and organizational change, emphasizing the importance of leadership, the inclusion of more women in power, and individual actions to challenge and change the status quo.

Takeaways

• 🚨 Sexual harassment is a pervasive issue affecting various industries and institutions, including companies, universities, and workplaces like restaurants and movie sets.
• 🔄 It is rooted in gender inequality, which is both a cause and consequence of sexual harassment, indicating a cycle that perpetuates the problem.
• 📚 To address sexual harassment, understanding the underlying research and root causes is crucial, especially the varying prevalence in different sectors.
• 🏢 Organizations that are male-dominated, highly hierarchical, and lenient towards misconduct are more prone to sexual harassment.
• 👥 In male-dominated environments, 'locker room cultures' can foster an atmosphere where women are undermined and excluded, setting the stage for harassment.
• 🧩 Gender harassment, involving sexist comments and gestures, is a common form of harassment that communicates to women that they don't belong in certain roles or spaces.
• ⛰️ Hierarchical power structures can enable harassment, as those in power may feel entitled to act without repercussions, especially when power differences are significant.
• 🛡️ The tolerance of bad behavior by organizations is the biggest predictor of sexual harassment; permissive environments encourage further misconduct.
• 🔝 Leadership plays a critical role in preventing sexual harassment; proactive measures by leaders can significantly reduce its occurrence.
• 👩‍💼 Increasing women in leadership positions can help balance power dynamics and promote a more equitable and inclusive organizational culture.
• 🤝 Individual actions matter; calling out inappropriate behavior and supporting victims can challenge the normalization of sexual harassment and contribute to cultural change.

Q & A

What is the core issue of sexual harassment according to the script?

The core issue of sexual harassment is about the unequal power relations between men and women, which stems from gender inequality, both as a cause and a consequence of sexual harassment.

Why does sexual harassment persist despite being illegal for decades?

Sexual harassment persists due to a lack of understanding of the root causes, the pervasiveness of gender inequality, and the presence of certain organizational characteristics that foster such behavior.

What are the three characteristics of organizations where sexual harassment is more likely to occur?

Sexual harassment is more likely to occur in organizations that are male-dominated, super hierarchical, and forgiving of bad behavior.

Why are male-dominated organizations prone to sexual harassment?

Male-dominated organizations often have 'locker room cultures' characterized by aggressive and competitive behaviors, where sexualized talk and crude jokes undermine and exclude women, setting the stage for sexual harassment.

What is 'gender harassment' and how does it relate to dominance?

Gender harassment is a form of sexual harassment where victims are demeaned by sexist comments, obscene gestures, or offensive material. It communicates to women that they don't belong, especially in traditionally male-dominated roles or when they exhibit assertive or aggressive behavior.

How does power dynamics in hierarchical environments contribute to sexual harassment?

In hierarchical environments, power imbalances can lead to abuse, as people in power may not consider others' feelings, take no for an answer, or face consequences for their actions, which can lead to abusive behaviors.

What is the significance of leadership in determining a company's tolerance for sexual harassment?

Leadership plays a crucial role in setting the tone for a company's culture. When leaders take sexual harassment seriously, promptly investigate complaints, and ensure consequences for perpetrators, harassment is less likely to occur.

What happened at Uber and Fox News that exemplifies a permissive organization's tolerance for sexual harassment?

At Uber, Susan Fowler's repeated reports of harassment were ignored because the perpetrator was a top performer. At Fox News, Bill O'Reilly received a lucrative contract despite harassment allegations, reflecting a culture that tolerates bad behavior.

Why are the most vulnerable women more frequently targeted by sexual harassment?

The most vulnerable women, such as those with less education in low-paid service jobs or minorities, are more frequently targeted due to their limited power to resist or report harassment without fear of retribution.

What can individuals do to help prevent and address sexual harassment?

Individuals can call out inappropriate behaviors when they witness them, support victims by validating their experiences, and actively participate in changing social norms that devalue women and condone harassment.

How can societal change be achieved to combat sexual harassment?

Societal change can be achieved by recognizing and addressing systemic issues and cultural beliefs that perpetuate gender inequality, using collective power through consumer and voting power, and holding perpetrators accountable.

Outlines

00:00

🚨 Pervasiveness and Impact of Sexual Harassment

This paragraph discusses the widespread issue of sexual harassment, affecting various industries and institutions. It emphasizes the connection between sexual harassment and gender inequality, suggesting that the latter is both a cause and consequence of the former. The speaker calls for immediate action to address this issue, highlighting the need for a clear understanding of why sexual harassment persists despite being illegal. The paragraph also points out the lack of awareness about existing research on sexual harassment and the importance of understanding its root causes and the varying prevalence across different organizations and industries.

05:01

🔍 Identifying the Conditions for Sexual Harassment

The speaker identifies three key characteristics of organizations where sexual harassment is more likely to occur: male-dominated environments, super hierarchical structures, and a culture that forgives bad behavior. Male-dominated organizations often foster a 'locker room culture' that excludes and undermines women. Hierarchical environments enable abuse due to the corrupting impact of power, where those in power may disregard the feelings and consent of others. The paragraph also discusses the concept of gender harassment, where victims are demeaned through sexist comments and gestures, reinforcing the idea that they do not belong. The speaker stresses the importance of recognizing and addressing these conditions to prevent sexual harassment.

10:03

🛡️ The Role of Organizational Tolerance and Leadership

This paragraph delves into the third factor contributing to sexual harassment: organizational tolerance of such behavior. It describes a permissive organization as one where employees fear retaliation or believe their complaints will be ignored. The speaker uses examples from Uber and Fox News to illustrate how tolerance of bad behavior can perpetuate a cycle of misconduct. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of leadership in combating sexual harassment, stating that when leaders take the issue seriously, promptly investigate complaints, and ensure consequences for perpetrators, harassment is less likely to occur. Conversely, when leaders ignore misconduct or are themselves harassers, the problem escalates.

15:10

🌐 Collective Action Against Sexual Harassment

The final paragraph calls for collective action to address sexual harassment, focusing on evening out the scales of power. It suggests that increasing women in leadership roles can create greater equity and inclusiveness within organizations. The speaker encourages leaders to define sexual harassment clearly, establish disciplinary consequences, and ensure safe channels for reporting. On an individual level, the paragraph urges people to challenge normalized sexist behaviors and to support those who have been mistreated. The speaker emphasizes that social progress requires active participation from everyone, not just passive observation, and that collective power can bring about lasting change.

Keywords

💡Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment refers to unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature. In the video, it is the central issue being discussed, highlighting its prevalence across various industries and settings. The script emphasizes that it is a manifestation of gender inequality and power imbalances, as seen in the examples of companies and universities where it occurs.

💡Gender inequality

Gender inequality denotes the unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender. The video connects gender inequality as both a cause and consequence of sexual harassment, suggesting that true equality cannot be achieved as long as such harassment persists. The concept is integral to understanding the systemic nature of the problem.

💡Power imbalance

A power imbalance refers to a situation where one party holds significantly more influence or authority than another. The script discusses how power imbalances are fundamental to sexual harassment, particularly in hierarchical organizations where those in higher positions can exploit their power over subordinates, as illustrated in the examples of movie producers and venture capitalists.

💡Locker room culture

Locker room culture is a term used to describe an environment characterized by aggressive, competitive, and often sexually charged behaviors. The video mentions this culture as a breeding ground for sexual harassment in male-dominated organizations, where such behaviors can undermine and exclude women.

💡Gender harassment

Gender harassment is a form of sexual harassment that involves demeaning victims through sexist comments, gestures, or offensive materials. The video explains that this type of harassment is not about sexual desire but rather about communicating to women that they do not belong in certain spaces or roles, especially when they challenge traditional gender norms.

💡Hierarchical environments

Hierarchical environments are settings with clear and significant power differences between levels of authority. The script points out that sexual harassment is more likely in such environments due to the corrupting impact of power, where those in higher positions may feel entitled to act inappropriately without consequence.

💡Permissive organization

A permissive organization is one that tolerates or overlooks inappropriate behavior, making it risky for employees to report incidents. The video uses this term to describe companies where bad behavior is not addressed, leading to a culture where sexual harassment can thrive, as evidenced by the cases of Uber and Fox News.

💡Leadership

Leadership in this context refers to the actions and attitudes of those in charge of an organization. The video emphasizes the importance of leadership in combating sexual harassment, stating that when leaders take the issue seriously, promptly investigate complaints, and ensure consequences for the perpetrators, harassment is less likely to occur.

💡Vulnerability

Vulnerability here highlights the susceptibility of certain individuals to be targeted for harassment due to their position or circumstances. The script identifies the most vulnerable as those in low-paid service jobs, with less education, and minorities, who are more frequently targeted and less likely to come forward due to fear of retribution.

💡Bystander

A bystander is someone who witnesses an event or behavior but does not actively participate. The video calls on individuals not to be passive bystanders in the face of sexual harassment, urging them to take a stand and intervene when they see inappropriate behavior, thereby using their collective power to create change.

Highlights

Sexual harassment is pervasive across all industries and institutions.

It is fundamentally about unequal power relations between men and women.

Gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of sexual harassment.

Full equality for women is unattainable as long as sexual harassment persists.

Understanding the root causes of sexual harassment is crucial for creating change.

Sexual harassment is more likely in male-dominated, hierarchical organizations.

Locker room cultures can foster environments conducive to sexual harassment.

Men often have difficulty recognizing sexist or unfair treatment of women.

Gender harassment, involving sexist comments and gestures, is common.

Harassment is used as a tool to maintain dominance and exclude women.

Hierarchical environments with large power differences facilitate abuse.

Powerful individuals often believe they can act without consequences.

Organizations that are permissive of bad behavior encourage further misconduct.

Leadership's attitude towards harassment significantly impacts its prevalence.

Vulnerable individuals, such as low-wage workers and minorities, are frequently targeted.

Increasing women in leadership roles can promote gender equality and inclusive practices.

Leaders must define sexual harassment, its consequences, and establish safe reporting mechanisms.

Individuals must challenge normalized sexism and inappropriate behavior.

Social progress requires active participation and a belief in personal responsibility to change.

Using collective power through consumer and voting power can hold abusers accountable.

Unity and collective action are essential to create lasting change and support victims.

Transcripts

Translator: Parvathi Pappu Reviewer: Peter van de Ven

Sexual harassment is pervasive.

There is no industry or institution that is immune to it.

It happens in companies and universities, on factory floors and on movie sets,

in restaurant kitchens and congressional offices.

And it hurts so many people.

At its core, sexual harassment is about the unequal powered relations

between men and women at school, at work and in society.

In other words, gender inequality

is both the cause of sexual harassment and the consequence of it.

And what this means is that we will never have full equality,

women will never be fully equal to men,

as long as this behavior continues.

So, if equality is what we want,

then we need to decide right now, in this moment together, to change things.

Now, change begins with a very clear understanding of the problem to be solved.

And in this case, the problem to be solved is:

why does sexual harassment keep happening?

It's been illegal for decades,

it's a form of sex discrimination,

and the cost to companies and individuals is enormous.

So, why is it still so pervasive?

There are many studies on sexual harassment,

but not many of us know about them.

And this really concerns me.

Because in order to create the kind of change that we need,

we must understand this research, understand the root causes,

and understand why some companies and some industries

have more of a problem with it than others.

And this is the research I've come to share with you.

And what the research has found is that sexual harassment

is more likely to occur in organizations with these three characteristics:

male-dominated, super hierarchical, and forgiving of bad behavior.

Now, its more common in male-dominated organizations

because these environments often have so-called locker room cultures,

characterized by aggressive and competitive behaviors

where sexualized talk and crude jokes undermine women and exclude them.

In comparison to women, men can have a harder time recognizing

when women are being treated in sexist or unfair ways.

So all of this sets the stage for sexual harassment

because in these contexts, professionalism can give way to bro-like behaviors

or talk about what happened at the bar last night

can mean that women are treated as sexualized pawns

and not as valued work colleagues.

And if men are less likely to label what other men are doing is inappropriate,

this can make things worse.

This is also really about dominance.

In hyper-masculine settings,

when women are rising up the ranks, men can feel threatened.

In fact, the most common form of sexual harassment

is not the solicitation of sex.

It's what's called gender harassment.

And this is when victims are demeaned

by sexist comments, obscene gestures, offensive material, like pornography.

And what's happening here is not about sexual desire.

It's about communicating to women, in subtle and not so subtle ways,

that they don't belong.

Women who violate traditional feminine ideals

by holding what's considered to be a man's job

or women who behave in more masculine ways

by being assertive, aggressive, holding a supervisory role

are more likely to experience this kind of harassment.

It's in these instances when women are rising up in the world

that harassment becomes a way to knock them down a peg.

Harassment is also more likely in really hierarchical environments

where there are a large power differences between levels.

And abuse happens in these settings

because it turns out that power has a corrupting impact on people.

People in power tend to do as they please.

They don't take other people's feelings into consideration.

They don't take no for an answer.

And research has found that in the minds of men who are inclined to harass,

power and sex are closely connected.

So what happens then

is that many men in positions of power think they can do what they want.

So they do,

they behave in abusive ways.

And at the same time, their subordinates who are lower down in the hierarchy,

who are being mistreated, are often powerless to speak up.

A kind of situation with a high probability for harassment

is when powerful individuals can make or break an underling's career.

When a movie producer can cast an unknown actress into a starring role,

a venture capitalist can provide funding to a woman entrepreneur,

a professor can write a letter of recommendation for a student.

When the perpetrator holds the key to your future,

it can be impossible to come forward or fight back.

And over and over again, harassers are getting away with it

because their power is shielding them from both discovery and punishment.

The third factor, and the single biggest predictor of sexual harassment,

is how permissive an organization is of this behavior.

A permissive organization is one

where employees feel like it's risky to come forward:

they don't think their complaints will be taken seriously;

they don't think the perpetrator will face any consequences.

And the gist of this research

is that bad behavior leads to more bad behavior.

When codes of professional conduct are crossed and nothing happens,

this is a green light opening the door to further misconduct.

And this is exactly what happened at Uber and at Fox News.

At Uber, when Susan Fowler, an engineer there,

repeatedly told HR about the harassment she experienced,

she was told that no actions would be taken

because the perpetrator was a top performer.

At Fox News, Bill O'Reilly got another 25-million-dollar-a-year contract

despite having settled a harassment case

and despite 21st Century Fox knowing about the allegations.

And these were not isolated events at each of these companies.

They reflected larger problems.

After an investigation, Uber ended up firing 20 people

for things like bullying, harassment, and discrimination.

And in addition to Bill O'Reilly,

Fox News CEO Roger Ailes and Fox News host Eric Bolling

both left the organization amid allegations of sexual harassment.

Again, tolerance of bad behavior leads to more bad behavior.

So, what determines whether or not a company tolerates sexual harassment?

Its leadership.

When leaders take this issue seriously, when they promptly investigate complaints,

when they make sure that the perpetrator faces consequences

even when they are a top performer, a regular customer, an important client,

sexual harassment is less likely to happen.

The odds of it happening go up when leaders ignore misconduct,

when they discourage people from coming forward,

and when they themselves are harassers.

When the leader of a company or a country is a harasser-in-chief,

that's when we've reached a Code Red threat level.

(Applause)

Now, if holding power is a hallmark of who is a harasser,

then vulnerability is a hallmark of who gets targeted

and why victims keep silent.

The waitress earning minimum wage

who has to put up with sexist comments from customers.

The woman farm worker who is sexually assaulted in the fields

and then threatened into silence by her employer.

It is the most vulnerable women among us -

those with less education who hold low paid service jobs

and minorities of all kinds - who are more frequently targeted.

And few victims ever come forward because of legitimate concerns

that retribution will put them out of a job.

So now that we know more about all of this,

what do we do?

What can leaders do, and what can we as individuals do?

Now again, this is all about power.

So if large power imbalances are a root cause of sexual harassment,

then we need to focus our efforts on evening out the scales.

Since male-dominated structures uphold a system of sexual harassment,

then we need to change the structures.

We need more women in leadership.

(Applause)

Now, having more women in management won't eliminate the problem;

in fact, women can be perpetrators too.

But when you have more women at the highest levels,

this creates greater equity

in the power [that] men and women hold inside organizations -

and therefore in society, just more broadly.

And some studies indicate that when you have more women in leadership,

you have more gender equality inside companies

and more inclusive practices like better work-life policies.

Having more women and more diversity at every level of an organization

can do a lot to alter these hyper-masculine environments.

Leaders need to take this issue seriously.

When leaders take visible and firm stance that sexual harassment won't be tolerated,

it's less likely to happen.

People experience less harassment, and they're more likely to come forward.

How do you know when leaders are taking this seriously?

You know it when they clearly define what sexual harassment is

and what the disciplinary consequences are.

When they make sure that employees know how to come forward,

when they ensure that confidentiality will be maintained

and that retribution for speaking up will be prohibited.

So that's what leaders can do.

And what can we as individuals do?

The sad truth about all of this

is that gender inequality is so pervasive

that we often don't even see it.

In fact certain forms of sexual harassment,

like unwanted touching or sexist comments,

are so commonplace

that women and girls don't even call it sexual harassment.

Think about that.

Sexism and certain forms of sexual harassment are so normalized

it's hard to distinguish it

from another day at school or just another day at work.

This has to change.

So if you hear people excusing inappropriate touching at school

with "Oh boys will be boys," call that out.

When you hear sexist comments made at work, call that out.

And when you see someone being mistreated, talk to them, name what happened,

and make sure that they understand that what happened is wrong

because none of this is okay,

and no one should ever think that it's normal.

Social patterns are not accidents.

When surveys find

that between 40 and 60% of women experience harassment on the job,

this is not random.

This is a result of systemic issues of deep-seated cultural beliefs

that devalue women and objectify them.

And we all have a role to play in changing that.

If you're listening and thinking "I've never harassed anyone"

or "I've never been a victim,"

don't for a second think that you're not a part of this.

Social progress depends entirely on people noticing that something's wrong,

deciding it's a problem, and coming to believe

that they have a personal responsibility to change things for the better.

You cannot be a passive bystander in all of this,

because our silence is allowing it to continue.

And the change that we want will require all of us to take stands,

where we can and when we can.

When powerful people abuse others,

it's because they don't think the rules apply to them.

So we need to be the ones to take their power away

and hold them accountable.

Through our consumer power, through our voting power,

through the stories we tell about the things that happen to us.

By speaking truth to power, by believing each other,

by being the bystander who intervenes.

The power of us is powerful enough to create long-lasting change.

And this is how we give voice to people who often have none.

By coming together and using our collective power to say:

"Me too! Time's up, and this stops here!"

(Applause)